


The New Order

by lfthinkerwrites



Series: Edward Nigma, Private Investigator [6]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games)
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family, Mild Sexual Content, Mystery, Politics, Tearjerker, The Part Where It Gets Real, Unethical Experimentation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 70,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lfthinkerwrites/pseuds/lfthinkerwrites
Summary: After the horrific attacks on Gotham, Hugo Strange is given the power to begin his dream to cleanse the city of crime once and for all. To uncover the professor's endgame, newly minted 'hero' Edward Nigma is forced to ally with the last person he ever wanted: Batman himself. Together, can the Dark Knight and the Private Detective foil Strange, or is it too little, too late?
Relationships: Edward Nygma/Penelope Young
Series: Edward Nigma, Private Investigator [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/682832
Comments: 124
Kudos: 122





	1. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after one of the most tumultuous nights of their lives, Edward and Penelope wake up in a new world.

_December 1st, 2007_

Penelope was slowly awakened by the gentle, rhythmic sound of raindrops against a window. She stirred, then reluctantly began to open her eyes. She was in her room, lying under her covers on the left side of her bed, facing her bedroom window. It was morning, but the sky was grey and raindrops were splattered on the glass. Penelope sat up with a yawn, then looked to her dresser on the right side of her bed. The clock read 7:30 am. She'd slept in an hour later than she usually did, but her mind still hadn't quite caught up to her body. She felt a warm, heavy object hanging off of her and realized that she was still wearing her bathrobe. Had she collapsed in bed after a long night, as she sometimes did? Had it all been a dream? The Joker's escape, the attack on City Hall, Edward- In that instant, her mind fully awoke. No. Not a dream. The Joker had escaped, City Hall had been attacked, Schrader had tried to kill her and Edward had come for her, Edward had come to her and-Penelope jumped out of her bed and ran out the door, down the hall. When she reached the living room, she stopped to take in the sight before her.

Edward was lying asleep on her sofa, his hands folded across his chest, his jacket underneath his head as a makeshift pillow, and his legs hanging over the edge of the armrest. His cane was leaned up against the side of her coffee table, his gloves on top of it, his shoes on the rug. Penelope took a long moment to observe him. When he was awake, he was always moving, whether he was standing or sitting, whether he was speaking or listening to her, he had his little twitches, micro-expressions, and quirks that she'd memorized over the years. His hands always moved to the cadence of his words. Now, the only movement she could detect was the rise of his chest as he slept. It was a sight she'd never seen before, Edward Nigma at total peace. The full memory of the previous night came back to her at that moment. He had come to her, he had told her that he loved her, and he had kissed her. At that moment, her heart had never felt so full. She approached her slumbering...lover? Boyfriend? What precisely was he to her now? She would need to talk to him about that, among other things. 

He must have heard her as she approached him, or somehow sensed her presence, for when she had reached the coffee table, his eyes flew open. He reflexively moved to grab his cane, when his eyes caught sight of her. He immediately relaxed and his eyes softened as they focused on her. "Well," he said, his brassy voice still thick with sleep. "Good morning, my dear doctor."

There was so much Penelope wanted to say to him, but the only words she could summon were "Good morning, Eddie." Edward smiled, then let out a long yawn, stretching his arms above his head as he did so. Penelope pulled her Ottoman chair up next to his armrest pillow and sat down, taking in Edward's appearance. His hair was mussed out of its usual gelled-back style, giving him a younger look that she didn't find unappealing. His clothing was rumpled from having been slept in, but to her, he was the most striking man in the world. He lowered his hands and looked up at her, a soft smile across his face. 

"Well," he said.

"Well," she answered. Her hands were folded in her lap, though she was sorely tempted to grab onto him and not let go. "What time did I fall asleep last night?"

"About an hour or so after I got here," he answered. He gave her a lopsided grin. "You fell asleep on my shoulder while we were watching television. It was quite adorable."

Penelope shook her head. "I'm sure it wasn't." He let out a short laugh at that, and she smiled. She let her eyes roam over his form, following his legs where they hung over the armrest. She frowned slightly. As comfortable as her sofa was, it wasn't meant for a man his height to sleep on, and it couldn't be good for his back. "Were you alright out here?"

"Of course. I've slept in far less pleasant places than this."

Penelope hummed, knowing full well what places he had in mind. "Still, you didn’t have to sleep on the couch. You could have joined me."

Edward looked like he hadn’t expected her to say that. All the bravado and confidence he regularly exuded melted away as he cleared his throat. "Ah. Well, I didn’t want to presume, this is a new situation for us, and well, it might have made things awkward if there was any morning-after regret." His face became stricken as he looked up at her. "There isn’t any, is there?"

This was the most unsure of himself that Penelope had ever seen Edward. Instinctually, she leaned down and pressed her lips softly against his. He let out a small sound akin to a squeak before he enthusiastically returned the kiss. She pulled away from him and gently pushed his bangs back. "Does that answer that question?"

Edward’s dreamy smile was soon replaced by that smug smirk she’d become accustomed to. He moved his hands behind his head and shook his head. "I’m not always at my sharpest in the morning, I’m sorry to say. And I _am_ an amnesiac. I might need a little extra clarification." He waggled his eyebrows at her for extra emphasis.

Penelope looked at him incredulously before shaking her head. "You’re impossible."

Edward laughed again. "You love me."

She did. This man was impossible, and she adored him. She leaned over again and he sat up, getting into a better position for her to kiss him. Their lips met again, and Penelope shut her eyes, losing herself in this man, even if just for a few moments. She felt his hands reach up to gently grab her shoulders, then travel up to her neck and back of her head. She responded in kind, finally running her hands through his hair as she wanted to the minute she saw him on her couch...and a second later she pulled away, much to Edward's dismay. Penelope looked down at her hands and frowned at the grease they'd picked up. Edward's hair gel, no doubt. She looked back to Edward to see that he had a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry," he said. "Usually, I wash it out, but well...I've had a rather busy last fifteen hours." He looked down at himself and frowned at the state of his clothes. "Oh Lord, I slept in this dress shirt, didn't I?"

Penelope got up out of her Ottoman chair. "Go take a shower," she all but ordered. "I'll make us some coffee." She watched as he rolled himself off the couch and popped his back. "The bathroom's just down the hall on the left. There are clean towels in the cabinet." Edward nodded. "When you come out," she said, hesitating for a moment. "We need to talk."

Edward arched an eyebrow. "Penny, I've only been awake for fifteen minutes! What did I do?"

"Not like that," Penelope reassured him. "We need to talk about..." she gestured to him, and back to herself. "This."

"Ah," Edward said, mirroring her movements. " _That_ talk. Well, as cryptic as I can be at times, I'd like to think I've made my feelings very clear."

"You have," she said with a small smile. "And you know I feel the same way, but we need to talk about the logistics of this. For starters, who are we going to tell? Other than Ellen, of course."

"Of course, Ellen's a given." Edward smiled genuinely. "She was the one who told me to come here last night. I'd like to tell Selina, though frankly, I'd be shocked if she didn't suspect. I'd also like to tell Nina and Deirdre, Oswald too..." he stopped, then walked over to where she stood by the dining room table. "I want to climb on the roof of Wayne Tower and shout to the whole world that I'm in love with you," he said, taking her hands in his. "Before you say anything though, I know that's not a good idea."

This was the sort of romantic display that made her scoff as a teenager. The only reason she wasn't now was that she knew just how much he meant it. "No," she said, gently squeezing his hands. "We should keep this as private as we can, though I don't have a problem with you telling your friends. I want to tell Joan, my mother, and Aaron." Edward frowned a bit at Aaron's name, but he shook it off. "We can talk more about this after your shower though."

Edward let out a dramatic sigh. "Very well, though I do this under protest."

Penelope shook her head. "What, being in someone else's bathroom?"

"No," he answered, lifting one of her hands. He gently kissed her knuckles, never breaking eye contact with her. "That I'm away from you for even a minute."

Penelope felt her face flush to the roots of her hair. "You'll live," she said at last. She broke away from him reluctantly and turned towards her kitchen. "I'll start making the coffee. You like cream, no sugar, right?"

She heard Edward chuckle again. "You know me so well. I think actually, I will take one sugar." Penelope turned towards him only for him to steal a small kiss from her. He pulled away as soon as he leaned in and smirked. "There. My one sugar."

Penelope lightly pushed him towards the direction of her bathroom not bothering to hide her flush or her smile. "Shower, Edward!"

He just laughed. "Alright, I'm going, I'm going." He walked down the hall, then turned back towards her when he was halfway down. He blew her a kiss, then disappeared down the hall.

Penelope shook her head, then entered her kitchen at last. She realized as she washed her hands and prepared the coffee, that she was smiling. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been so happy, she felt almost giddy. She'd gotten what she'd wanted. Edward was here, in her apartment, and he was _hers_ -"That's enough, Penelope," she scolded herself. "You're a grown woman, not a schoolgirl. There's still a lot you need to talk about." Her smile remained though. She was sure that she and Edward could easily agree. As the coffee began to brew, it occurred to her that Edward probably hadn't eaten anything last night. She opened her pantry and pulled out a package of English muffins, then got out some butter and jam from her refrigerator. A minute later, she had a small spread set up on the dining room table, complete with two plates. She was about to check on the coffee when she heard a loud vibration coming from the couch. Her cell phone was still on the kitchen counter where she'd left it the night before after talking with her mother. It must be Edward's hidden away in his coat pocket. No doubt his friends wanted to talk to him after...after...

Penelope's happiness faded away as the full memory of what had happened the night before returned to her. "Oh God," she whispered. She walked to her coffee table and picked up the remote where it was sitting next to Edward's gloves. Reluctantly, she turned the television on and the newscast picked up where it had left off the night before.

_"The death toll has, as of right now, been confirmed at 200, though over 300 people remain hospitalized, some in critical condition. Commissioner James Gordon has confirmed that all of the gunmen involved in last night's attacks are among the dead, though he will neither confirm nor deny how they died or their identities. He has promised a full investigation. Mayor Quincy Sharp, whose City Hall dedication ceremony was a focal point of the attacks, announced this morning that he will be holding a press conference at noon today to address these attacks. This is Summer Gleeson, with GCNN."_

Penelope sank onto the sofa as two emotions waged war inside of her. Grief for the dead, the dying, and the wounded, and white-hot anger. 'A press conference'. Sharp had known all along what Strange and Schrader intended to do. He'd probably signed off on it, and he had the nerve, the absolute gall to go in front of the media and give a press conference!? _"One day, you will understand why I have done the things I've done."_ She looked down at her hands as they clenched. Murderer. Perhaps he was Strange's puppet, but he was guilty just the same. She would bring him down, she and Edward together would bring Sharp, Strange, Ward, and every single person responsible for this down, no matter what it took. Edward had told her that Schrader at least had been on the receiving end of a beating from him. She felt some vindictive joy at that. She hoped he was suffering in lockup.

_"During a night of tragedy, one new hero emerged. At City Hall, dozens of people were saved from certain death by none other than former supercriminal, Edward Nigma."_ Penelope looked up sharply at the screen to see Vicki Vale. The screen cut away from the blonde newscaster to the front entrance of City Hall, the night before. Penelope watched intently. She hadn't seen much of the footage from last night, between talking with her mother, showering, and Edward. For the first time, she watched as Ryder's cameraman she heard Vale said caught one of the gunmen with his weapon raised at who she recognized as Joan, Joe, and Dr. Thompkins. She saw a flash of green come charging down the stage's stairs towards the gunman. She watched as Edward, her Edward, attacked the gunman with his cane, first knocking the weapon out of his hands, then bringing him down. One hand went to her mouth reflexively. So many things could have gone wrong. The gunman could have seen him coming and fired on him. Edward could have missed. The second gunman could have been there, a police officer could have been there and assumed the worst...the sound of running water reached her ears and Penelope willed herself to relax. Edward was alive. Edward was safe. Edward was here. She continued to watch the clip as Batman appeared, spoke with Edward, and as the two reached some agreement before Batman ran off and Edward got the doors open. She was proud of Edward for what he'd done, fiercely proud, but they would be speaking about this.

_"GCNN has repeatedly reached out to Mr. Nigma since last night, but as of now has received no comment about his actions at City Hall. Regardless of whatever motivations he may have had, this reporter is certain that there are many people alive today who are grateful that he was there. This is Vicki Vale, back to you, Summer."_

It seemed Gordon was holding back the bomb. She'd told him after finding him what Edward had done, how he'd saved not just her life, but the lives of everyone near City Hall. The man had looked like she'd told him that he'd grown a second head. Penelope heard a beeping noise from her kitchen and nearly jumped, only to realize that it was the coffee maker. She got up from the couch and walked towards the kitchen, only to hear another noise as soon as she stepped inside. Her cell phone was vibrating on the counter. For a moment, she thought it might be Joan, or her mother again until she looked down and recognized the number. She wet her lip, then answered the call. "Good morning, Commissioner Gordon."

* * *

The events at City Hall were the last thing on Edward's mind as he showered. "I'm singin' in the rain," he sang as he lathered his hair. "Just singing, in the rain! What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again!" He must have been the biggest idiot on Earth to have denied himself this happiness for so long. "Just singing, singing in the rain!" He rinsed out the shampoo and picked up a bottle of body wash. Vanilla scented. A bit sweet for his taste, but it would do until he could get back to his apartment and get his cologne. Once he was done washing, he turned off the faucet and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel he'd pulled out of the cabinet and drying himself off. He pulled his boxer shorts and pants on first, then paused as he was about to pull his shirt on. It was wrinkled and smelled of sweat. He sighed. This had been one of his nicer dress shirts and now the thought of putting it back on made him want to cringe. He peeked out of the corner of his eye at the bathroom mirror and gave himself a quick inspection. He wasn't as impressive a physical specimen as Bruce Wayne maybe, but he'd kept himself in good physical shape over the years, and he was certainly glad about it now. Maybe he should go out shirtless and give his darling doctor a preview of what he had to offer. "Down Edward," he scolded, reluctantly putting the soiled shirt on. "The talk first, then a trip home to spruce yourself up a bit. After that..." After that indeed. He smoothed back his hair as best he could, given the lack of hair gel, and walked back into the hallway.

"Penny," he called out as he headed back towards her living room. "I had a thought. After we have our coffee, and our talk, I need to go home to change and run a few errands. After that though, I can come back here, and we can spend the rest of the day together. We can read, talk some more, whatever you like. What do you say-" he was cut off when he caught sight of her, standing by her dining room table. She had just put a thermos down and she looked up at him with a downcast expression on her face. He crossed the floor in record time to get to her. "What?"

Penny let out a sigh. "Commissioner Gordon called me," she said. "He wants me to come down to police headquarters and give my official statement about what happened last night."

Edward frowned. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing in his life had ever been that easy. "Now? Didn't you tell him everything last night? Why does he want to drag you out now?"

"It's standard procedure," she said. "Remember, I'm not just a witness."

The memory of Schrader taunting him about what he intended to do to her, finding her tied up in that basement next to the bomb...Edward took a breath to calm himself down, lest she thought he was angry at her. "I remember," he said. That alone didn't explain the serious look on her face though. "There's more, isn't there?"

Penny nodded. "Gordon told me that he tried to call you earlier this morning. He wants you to come in too."

Edward folded his arms across his chest. He really should have expected that he supposed. He was the new 'hero' of Gotham after all. Gordon must have a ten-page list of questions for him. "Just myself, or should I bring in legal counsel too?"

"You're not a suspect," Penny reassured him, stepping closer to him and touching his elbow. "Gordon said he just wants to get your side of the story. He needs to know everything Schrader might have told you before you found me."

Edward considered this and nodded. Schrader was probably in a holding cell if he wasn't in a hospital. Time to nail him to the wall. "Well. Who am I to deny Commissioner Gordon?" He sighed. "I take it this means our talk will have to wait."

"I'm sorry," Penny said, looking down at her feet.

Edward reached a hand out to gently tilt up her face. "Don't be. Gordon was going to come calling sooner or later. We'll have time for ourselves."

Penny gave him a brief smile before her face grew serious again. "There's one more thing to consider. We have to tell Gordon everything we've uncovered in our investigation." He opened his mouth only for her to raise her hand. "I know it's not ideal, and I know how you feel about this getting to Batman, but people are dying, Eddie. Gordon needs to know everything."

Edward considered her and that pleading look in her ice-blue eyes. Something about this whole situation nagged at him, but it could wait until he was face to face with Gordon. He sighed, then cupped her face. "This is completely unfair. How can I refuse you anything when you look at me like that?"

Penny smiled again, then reached up to quickly kiss him. "Thank you." Edward leaned down and they kissed again, longer, but not nearly long enough for him. He wanted more, more time to savor her, to memorize every little movement, noise, and taste. More time was something he couldn't have, however, as she pulled away. "I made you some coffee to go," she said, gesturing to the thermos on the table. "I also toasted you an English muffin and put it in a bag."

Edward smiled himself. "You're too good to me." He walked over towards the couch and picked up his coat, putting it on in one fluid motion. He pulled his glasses out of the front pocket and put them on, then put on his shoes and gloves. He checked his pockets to make sure he had his phone, keys, and wallet, then picked up his cane before walking back over to Penny, who had the thermos and bag in her hands. He hooked his cane into the fold of his elbow and took the thermos and bag from her. "Does your dashing private investigator get a kiss before he goes?"

Penny rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Edward?"

"You love me," he sassed. Winding her up was going to be even more delightful now.

Penny's expression instantly turned from unimpressed to soft. "I do," she said, and the way she said it made his heart skip a beat. She leaned up on her tiptoes and he leaned down, the pair sharing one last, soft kiss before he left. Edward was sorely tempted to forget Gordon, but even on the small chance Penny would go along with that, the Commissioner certainly wouldn't. Better to go in person rather than be escorted by one of Gotham's 'Finest'. She pulled away, and her face resumed its usual serious expression. "I'll see you at GCPD."

"Until then, my dear doctor," Edward said, with as much of a bow as he could manage. He walked away from her, reluctantly, and walked towards her front door. When he reached it, he turned around to see that she had followed him. "I love you too," he said.

"I know," she answered, reaching around him to open the door. "Goodbye, Eddie."

* * *

The rain had slowed to a drizzle by the time Edward made it out of the brownstone, but he barely felt it as he walked to his car. Well, half-walked. Despite the irritation he felt at being pulled away from Penny so soon, there was a distinct spring in his step. "She loves me!" he half spoke, half sang. "She loves me, she loves me, I love her, she loves me!" Once he was in the car, he placed the thermos in his cup holder and the bag on his passenger seat. "Well," he said to himself. "Time to call good Commissioner Gordon back." He pulled his cell phone out of his coat pocket, only for his eyes to nearly bug out of his skull when he looked at the screen. "Jesus Christ! _Fifty-five_ missed calls!?" The most recent number was one he didn't recognize, which probably meant it was Gordon's. He saw Oswald's number several times, Selina's, Nina's, Deirdre's, Jack Ryder's, the damn parasite, Vicki Vale's, an unlisted number, dozens of numbers he vaguely remembered as belonging to his past clients and another unlisted number. "Good Lord," he groaned, running a hand through his hair. "It's going to take me the better part of the morning to sort through all this!" He was about to put his cell phone away when it began to ring. This number was very familiar to Edward and he answered it immediately. "Ellen?"

 _"Hi, Dad!"_ his daughter's voice rang. _"How'd it go last night?"_

Edward double-checked the time on his phone. "Did you get up at 8:15 on a Saturday morning just to ask me that?"

Ellen responded with a yawn. _"I didn't get that much sleep last night. I was too wound up from everything. But come on, how'd it go? Did you talk to Doc?"_

Any thoughts of scolding his daughter for her poor sleeping habits faded away. "I did."

_"Yeah? And?"_

He had to laugh at the enthusiasm in her voice. "She loves me too."

Ellen let out a loud laugh. _"I knew it! So she's your girlfriend now, right?"_

"Well, we didn't get the chance to have that conversation just yet, but essentially, yes." 

_"Didn't get the chance? Why?"_ Ellen's voice became worried. _"Did something else happen?"_

"Nothing's happened," Edward soothed her. "Commissioner Gordon wants me to come to GCPD and talk about what happened at City Hall."

There was a pause before Ellen spoke again. _"He doesn't think you did it, does he?"_

"No sweetheart, nothing like that. If he did, he'd be sending the whole might of GCPD after me." 

_"I guess so."_ Ellen yawned again. _"Still. I'm really happy for you and Doc. At least something good came out of all this."_

"I suppose so, yes," Edward agreed. "I'll call you later today once I've sorted a few things out. Try not to worry too much. And go back to sleep, you sound half dead."

 _"Fine,"_ Ellen huffed. _"I know you're gonna be busy today, but can I see you tomorrow?"_

"Of course," Edward said. "We'll talk more about that later. Now go back to bed."

 _"Okay. Bye Dad,"_ Ellen said, letting out one last yawn before she hung up.

Edward smile and shook his head. "My little hellion," he said affectionately. Then he sighed. "Time to get this over with," he muttered as he scrolled up and hit redial. The phone rang once before a familiar voice picked up. 

_"Nigma? That you?"_

Showtime. Edward leaned back in his seat and said in the brassiest tone he could muster, "Good morning, Commissioner Gordon!"


	2. GCPD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward and Penelope have a tense meeting with Commissioner Gordon.

The rain had stopped fifteen minutes earlier, but Edward remained in his car, eyes fixed on the tall, grey building in front of him. How long had it been since he'd been inside GCPD headquarters? Nearly a year, he realized. He hadn't stepped foot inside the place since after the incident with Goodman. A little under a year, but it felt like a lifetime had passed. Then, he'd been an unwanted interloper, a scapegoat for Goodman's attack, and even a prisoner, briefly. Now, he was the toast of the town, a 'hero'. It was amazing how much could change in such a small amount of time. Edward looked down at his wrist to check his watch. It was 9:15 am. Gordon had requested that he arrive at 9:30, to 'debrief' him on what had happened the night before, in the Commissioner's words. Edward had returned to his apartment to change his clothes and send a few text messages to Nina and Deirdre, to assure them that he was alive and would call when he could. He looked up at his car mirror to give his appearance one last lookover. He thought it only fitting that for his grand return to GCPD, that he pulled out all the stops for his wardrobe. So he decided on a black shirt, three-piece green suit, complete with waistcoat and a purple question mark emblazoned tie, with his trademark bowler hat. He was, as Ellen would say, 'going full Riddler', at least in terms of his appearance. He stared at himself for a long time through his tinted glasses. "Well," he said to himself. "Time to make your entrance." With a deep breath, he opened his car door and stepped outside.

Edward idly swung his cane to and fro as he ambled through the parking lot. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Penny's black car parked just a few spots away from that ridiculous tree that somehow remained standing. The thought of seeing her again put a spring in his step, only for his mood to plummet back down the second he approached the wide glass doors. He paused for a moment on the threshold. The last time he had stepped through those doors, he could feel the glares of every officer in the building like tiny knives pricking his skin. What was waiting for him on the other side of those doors? "I am Edward Nigma," he whispered to himself, tightening his grip onto his cane. "And I will not be intimidated by those base brutes." He squared his shoulders and pushed the doors open.

Standing by the security checkpoint was a rather disagreeable looking officer, whose eyes widened as Edward entered. Edward recognized the man instantly. It was the same man who had accosted him when he'd consulted on the Barnes case last September. The bald officer saw him and his eyes widened. "You!"

"Me," Edward sassed, giving the man a small bow. "Commissioner Gordon's expecting me."

"Of course," the officer said as though the words pained him. He held his arm out to beckon him through. "Go right on in."

Edward raised an eyebrow. Well. This was unexpected. "Oh? No pat-down? No metal detector?" He raised his cane. "You're sure you don't want to check if this is a trick cane?"

The officer's face colored, but he managed to maintain his composure. "That won't be necessary," he said. "You can go right ahead inside."

Edward smirked. "Thank you." He strolled past the officer and couldn't resist throwing one last barb the man's way before he entered the building. "It's never too late to learn proper manners, is it?" He bit his lip to keep from laughing at the officer's wrathful expression. Best not to press his luck. He moved quickly through the doors and found himself in GCPD proper.

The bullpen was as crowded as Edward expected it would be and just as noisy. There was a somber mood Edward detected as well, with the way the officers were clustered into small groups, some around their desks, others around the televisions set up in the bullpen. Every man and woman had an almost identical serious expression. Edward himself stuck close to the edge of the room as he hurried around the desks, hoping to get to the elevator before any of the officers noticed him-

"Hey! Nigma!" 

Edward froze halfway around the room and inwardly swore. Between him and the path to the elevator was Aaron Cash. Of course. At his words, all the heads in the bullpen seemed to turn as one towards him. Edward steadfastly refused to look their way and instead faced Cash. The man stood with his arms folded across his chest as if he was expecting Edward to say something. "I have an appointment with Commissioner Gordon in-" Edward's eyes darted to the clock hung up against the opposite wall, above the myriad bulletin boards. "Three minutes. Whatever it is, make it quick."

Cash grunted. "Believe me, I got a lot I wanna talk to you about. But for now..." He then did something Edward didn't expect. He extended his right hand and gave him an almost friendly pat on the shoulder. "Thank you for what you did last night." 

Not even a year ago, this man had helped imprison him in GCPD, and now he presumed to touch him as if they were old friends. It made Edward want to scoff, but he restrained himself. Cash was Penny's friend, after all. So instead of a smart remark, he brought himself to give Cash a gracious nod. "You're welcome."

Cash nodded in return, then let go of Edward's shoulder to clear the way to the elevator for him. "Doc's here. She and the Commish are waitin' for you upstairs."

"Well then," Edward said. "Who am I to keep them waiting? If you don't mind..." Cash seemed to get the message and stood out of Edward's way. "Thank you." Edward briskly walked past him to the elevators. He was about three feet away when he realized that the bullpen was still quiet. Out of curiosity, he turned around to face the gathered officers. All of their eyes were on him, as he expected, but what he didn't expect was the expression on their faces. He had prepared himself for hostility, and granted, he could still see traces of it in some of the gazes of the older officers and detectives, but the overwhelming majority of those assembled in the bullpen were looking at him almost in awe. It was gratifying, to a degree, but mostly, it was disconcerting. Edward quickly turned around and almost collided with a tall, burly uniformed officer on his way out of the elevator. Edward reflexively took a step back, only for the man to make way for _him._ Edward hesitated only for a moment, then quickly dashed towards the closing doors. He'd been prepared for hostility. He hadn't been prepared for actual respect. 

* * *

Gordon's secretary ushered him down the hall towards the Commissioner's office, not that Edward needed her help. He sauntered down the hall towards the large room at the end, one that he'd been in before. He could hear hushed voices on the other side of the closed door as he entered. and his heart beat faster when he recognized Penny's. He tapped the door with his knuckles.

"Come in!" he heard Gordon's voice. Edward opened the door and strolled into the office. Penny was there, immaculate and professional as always, sitting in front of Gordon's desk, while the man himself was standing behind it.

"Good morning, Commissioner," Edward said with his usual flourish. He turned slightly towards Penny, who fixed him with her usual cold gaze. Edward inclined his head towards her. "Dr. Young." Being so impersonal with her rankled, but he doubted she'd appreciate him kissing her in front of Gordon.

Gordon looked at Edward and gave him a nod. "Thank you for coming in, Edward. Take a seat." Edward stood rooted in his spot for a moment. In the almost twenty years he'd crossed swords with the man, he never recalled being referred to by his first name. Edward shrugged it off and took the empty seat next to Penny, placing his cane up against the chair. Gordon sat down behind his desk and wiped his hand across his face. It occurred to Edward that Gordon had to be at least sixty at this point. The Commissioner looked every inch of those years as he looked at the pair. He also looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Indeed, we do," Edward said. He looked out of the corner of his eye towards Penny, who gave him just the slightest nod. It seemed she wanted him to take the lead. "I imagine that you must have many questions for me about my 'heroic' actions at City Hall last night."

"Among other things," Gordon grunted. He put his glasses back on his face and gave him a serious look. "To start with, however, I'd like to hear from Dr. Young the events of last night." He looked towards Penny with a gentle look on his face. "Do you mind going over, in full detail, what happened?"

Hadn't she last night? Why was Gordon making her go through this again? Was there something he'd forgotten to ask? Come to think of it, why was he here? Why wasn't he supervising Schrader's interrogation? "Of course," Penny said in a clear, cold voice. "Myself, Dr. Joan Leland, Bruce Wayne, Joe Bryant, and Dr. Leslie Thompkins were invited to speak at the dedication ceremony a few weeks ago. Before the event began, however, Mayor Sharp approached me and asked to speak with me in private. I followed him out into the hall where we discussed my work with my group opposing his hardline policies at Arkham. He expressed some dismay at the fact that I seemed to oppose him, and said to me that one day, I would understand why he had done the things he'd done." Edward heard her voice harden and watched as her hands clenched together in her lap. She was furious, and Edward couldn't say he blamed her. He'd wanted at least today to distract her from this mess, but how often did he get what he wanted? Penny gathered her bearings and continued. "At that point, we went back to the City Council chamber and I rejoined my group. We then proceeded to the stage. Sharp gave his remarks first, then handed the podium over to Bruce. Bruce had spoken for maybe a minute when he suddenly shouted for us to get down. He grabbed me and Dr. Thompkins and threw us down on the stage. At that point, I heard the gunfire break out."

Gordon gave a solemn nod. "Go on."

Edward watched as Penny let out a small breath before she continued, unphased. "Bruce then got up, shouted at us to get inside City Hall, and ran to go after the gunman. At the time, I thought there was only one, but then I quickly heard more gunfire, coming from the opposite side of the stage." Edward suppressed a noise of disdain at Wayne's 'heroics'. He was lucky his idiotic stunt hadn't gotten him and Penny killed. "Joe then pulled me and Dr. Thompkins to our feet, then ushered us to follow him towards the front doors of City Hall. When we got there though we realized that the doors were locked."

"Standard City Hall lockdown protocol," Gordon said. "Then what happened?"

"I turned around and noticed that Bruce had run around the corner of the building and into the side alley." Penny shook her head. "I panicked and ran after him. I realize now that was foolish." Yes, it was, Edward thought. But then again, if she hadn't...he wouldn't have found out about the bomb. She and everyone he'd gotten into City Hall would have died. Penny continued, "I was about halfway down the alley when I saw Detective Schrader emerge from the service door."

At the mention of Schrader's name, Gordon visibly flinched, which gave Edward pause. Was this a reaction to Schrader's corruption, or was something else going on? "What exactly did Schrader say and do?" Gordon asked. 

Penny hesitated for a moment before she responded. "He reached out for me, telling me that he could take me to safety. I confronted him about what had happened with Bane this summer, and he laughed. He said, that my problem was that I couldn't keep my mouth shut, just like Miguel Sanchez couldn't."

Edward stifled a curse. He and Penny had been convinced that Ward was the one who had arranged Sanchez's murder in jail, he'd never even thought of looking into Schrader about that. He glared at Gordon. "That sounds to me, Commissioner, like a confession. That's now two incidents of malfeasance Schrader was involved in before this happened, and yet he was still on the force."

Gordon glared back at Edward. "And if I'd had any solid evidence of any of this, Schrader would be in jail now." He then turned back to Penny and his gaze softened. "Go on, Penelope."

Penny nodded. If she'd been phased by Edward's outburst, she didn't let on. "Schrader then grabbed me and dragged me down into the basement of City Hall. He handcuffed me to a pipe near the back of the room and proceeded to work on a large box that was in the basement. He told me that it was a bomb and that he was setting it to go off at 6:45. I told him that he wouldn't get away with what he was doing, and he said that Edward-" she gestured to him then. "-Would take the fall for what was happening." She paused for a moment and Edward detected the slightest trace of grief in her eyes. It quickly passed. "He then gagged me with his tie and left me in the basement. I'm not sure how much time passed, but soon Edward came into the basement. He defused the bomb, freed me, and we made our way into City Hall from the basement. We met up with Joe inside and went to the City Council chamber, where we waited until Batman and GCPD had the scene contained." Penny took another breath. "And that's when I found you."

Gordon slowly nodded. "And Schrader told you the goal was to frame Edward for the attacks?"

"Yes," Penelope said. "He said that clearly."

"Can't you ask him that yourself?" Edward quipped. "Or has he lawyered up already?"

A dark shadow passed over Gordon's face, and Edward had an inkling of what was going on. "Schrader...is not in a position to be answering any questions about what happened at this time." He then cleared his throat and nodded towards Edward. "Alright, Edward. Your turn."

Edward chuckled. "Ask me no questions I'll tell you no tales."

"To start with, why were you at the dedication ceremony? I know that Mayor Sharp isn't fond of you and vice versa."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Does that matter?"

Gordon let out an impatient sigh. "To me, not really, but the Mayor's been asking questions and so has the media. I know you weren't involved in the attacks, but that hasn't stopped people from making assumptions."

Strange was smart enough at this point to back off pinning the blame on him, but Sharp wasn't. Edward resisted the urge to look at Penny from the corner of his eye. "I was there for personal reasons," he said finally. "Out of respect for the other person involved, I don't wish to elaborate further."

Gordon's brow furrowed before his eyes suddenly widened. "I see," he said. "Alright then. I can accept that. Moving on: Where exactly were you when the attack took place?"

Edward leaned his head back slightly in his seat, recalling the events of the previous evening. He could see the events in front of him unfolding as if it was a film. "I was towards the back of the crowd, looking at the stage. I'd arrived just as Mayor Sharp was finishing up his remarks." He could barely recall what the Mayor had been saying, his mind was so focused on Penny. "Mr. Wayne had just begun his remarks when I noticed that Mayor Sharp was leaving the stage. He was being escorted into City Hall by his security detail." Edward turned his eyes back on Gordon. The man was sitting in his chair, leaning slightly forward, eagerly listening to what Edward was telling him. Penny had told him back in August that Gordon was, if not privy to their investigation, at least aware of it. Edward continued. "Once the Mayor and his handlers had entered City Hall, I heard gunshots toward the front of the crowd. Then I heard someone shouting that there was a man with a gun. After that, it was pandemonium. I managed to survive being trampled on and made my way to the stage itself. When I got there, I saw one of the gunmen about to murder Dr. Leland and a few of her associates. Jack Ryder's camera caught the rest." And no doubt the Dark Knight had informed Commissioner Gordon of their conversation.

Gordon nodded. "Which brings me to my next question. What happened after you got the doors to City Hall open?"

Edward resisted the urge to begin tapping his fingers. Gordon really wouldn't hold what he'd done to Schrader against him, would he? "Dr. Leland had informed me that Mr. Wayne and Dr. Young had become separated from the rest of their group. After I got the doors to City Hall open, I ran to the alleyway adjacent to the building where Dr. Leland had suspected they'd gone. I was about halfway down the alley when I confronted Detective Schrader." Edward darkly chuckled. "He said that I wasn't supposed to be there, which supports Dr. Young's claim that he intended to frame me. I inquired as to the whereabouts of Dr. Young, and he drew his gun on me. I disarmed him, of course. I asked him again, and he not-so-subtly mentioned that she was next to a bomb. He then said that if I wanted to know where she was, that I had to drop my cane and get down on the ground." He heard a sharp intake of breath to his left and looked towards Penny. She was staring at him, her face pale. He half raised his hand to reach out for hers, only to remember that Gordon was sitting not three feet in front of them and staring intently. Edward reluctantly lowered his hand. "Luckily, I still had in my possession Dr. Young's taser, which I had grabbed from the stage. I pretended to go along with Schrader's idiocy, and as soon as his back was turned, I fired the taser at him and brought him to the ground." Edward remembered how the cold, arrogant son of a bitch had quickly tried to placate him as soon as the tables were turned and smirked. "He told me Dr. Young was in the basement of City Hall." He chuckled again. "I then gave him a sharp reminder of why you don't draw a gun on me." He gave Gordon a disinterested look. "I'm not going to be bothered with assault charges, am I?"

"No," Gordon said, shaking his head. "Go on."

Edward wet his lip. This all but confirmed Gordon was holding something back. "Well, the rest is as Dr. Young stated. I defused the bomb, freed her, and we made it into City Hall."

"And that's all Schrader said to you? You're certain?"

Edward nodded. "Indeed. Now, I have a query for you, Commissioner: why exactly is Schrader unavailable for comment? One would think that a man in his position would be ready and willing to cooperate. Unless..." Edward leaned forward. "Schrader's dead, isn't he?"

Penny let out a gasp. "Dead? Is that true?"

Gordon let out a long sigh. "Yes. We found his body in the alleyway last night after the both of you had left. And before you say anything, Edward, you're not a suspect. Schrader was shot with the same weapons the gunmen used to commit the attacks."

"The same weapons that your SWAT units are outfitted with," Edward added. "I also noted last night that the man I tangled with was earing kevlar body armor, also the same used by GCPD. Riddle me this, Commissioner: who outfitted these men? Who in his role as a senior detective would be able to access my police file to gain the blueprints for one of my old devices? Who has not once, but twice been involved in the attempted murder of Dr. Young?" Edward crossed his arms. "The real question, my dear Commissioner, is who was the one who ordered Schrader to commit these atrocities? The answer, given what we've told you, and what you've seen these last few months, should be fairly obvious."

Gordon' shut his eyes and removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I want to be frank with you, Edward," Gordon said when he put his glasses back on. "I've been aware for some time of yours and Dr. Young's investigation into Mayor Sharp and Hugo Strange. I've been allowing you space because I needed to maintain plausible deniability, but that time has passed." Gordon gave Edward a stony look. "Over 200 people are dead and you nearly took the blame for it. You need to tell me everything." 

Edward took a look at Penny, who looked at him expectantly. "Before I say anything," Edward said, "I want a guarantee that Dr. Young will receive no sanction for assisting me."

Penny's mouth dropped. "Edward, that's not-"

"Of course," Gordon said. "As long as Dr. Young continues to perform her duties to the best of her ability, as she has, I don't see any reason why anything should change."

Edward nodded. "Also, I don't know if you were already aware, but I have a teenage daughter. She's going to come up, but she is not privy to the investigation. Her existence will not be known to GCPD at large. Is that clear?"

Gordon's eyes softened and Edward knew he was thinking of his own daughter. "You have my word." 

Edward nodded again, then took a deep breath. "Well then, now that's out of the way. It all began in May of last year, when Mayor Sharp, then Warden Sharp, hired me to investigate a series of threatening letters his campaign had received..." And so Edward narrated the story of his investigation into Sharp and Strange, from the first case to the incident with Jervis Tetch. Penny disclosed her full role in that incident and her encounter with Strange. Edward then gave a brief refresher on the Barnes case, when he and Penny had agreed to work together, and Penny narrated her role in Sharp's Commission, and the encounter she'd had with Ward. Gordon sat still as a statute throughout all of this, his face remaining neutral. Edward then told him about what he'd uncovered on Sharp's background and how he and Penny suspected that he was the real killer of Victor Goodman. Gordon's face briefly looked shocked, but he quickly recovered and gestured for him to continue. Edward then laid out what had happened with the Sanchez children, leaving out as much identifying information about Ellen as he could, while Penny reviewed what Miguel had told her in lockup. Penny went on to tell Gordon how the fallout from that incident had led her to form her counter group against Arkham, which had put her on Schrader's radar. Gordon nodded along to the recap of the incident with Bane and listened intently to Edward's recounting of his session with Strange. Edward noticed the man pale when he mentioned that Strange intended to make Batman 'redundant'. Penny then related the work she and Edward had done in pressuring the Arkham board to put limits on Strange...

"...Which brings us to when the Joker escaped from Arkham two days ago," Penny finished. 

"Escape indeed," Edward snorted. "It seems obvious to me that Strange released him to distract us from what he was planning last night."

"Given everything you've told me, it seems likely," Gordon agreed. It seemed as if the Commissioner had aged another ten years during the last hour of recounting. "With Schrader dead though, it's going to be hard to prove. There's something else to consider as well."

"What's that?" Penny asked.

Gordon sighed. "We've uncovered the identities of the gunmen in the attacks last night. They were all patients of Arkham who had been released the day the Joker escaped."

Edward heard Penny let out a gasp. He turned sharply to see that she had her hand over her mouth and her blue eyes were wide. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Gordon said. "The media's holding back on it for the time being, but I had a conference call with Sharp and Strange before you two arrived. Sharp is going to announce it at his press conference. I can't stop him."

Penny looked down at her lap. "And what did the good professor have to say about this?" Edward asked. "Surely, we can use this against him? He's the Warden after all. One of the Commission recommendations that the City put into effect was that he had final say over patient releases, he must have chosen them deliberately-"

"I did confront him about this, as a matter of fact," Gordon said, raising a hand. "He informed me that he had been opposed to any patient releases, but that he had been pressured by the Arkham Board."

Strange must have gotten wise to what he and Penny were doing, Edward realized. This was his way of discrediting the Board and her group in one blow. They'd been playing into his hands all along. Penny must have realized it too, for her face became anguished. She got out of her chair abruptly. "Excuse me," she said to both men with a shaky voice. Without waiting for either man to say anything, she hurried out of the room. Edward was on his feet in an instant, ready to follow her, when he remembered Gordon. He turned to face the Commissioner, who had an understanding look on his face.

"Go after her," he said softly. "We can finish up later."

Edward wanted to do just that, but he hesitated. "You knew I was with her this morning," he said. "That's why you told her that you wanted to see me."

Gordon nodded. "I'm not just the police commissioner, you know. I've been married twice." Gordon's face turned serious. "As long as it doesn't interfere with her duties or endangers her in any way, her personal life is none of my business."

"Nor should it be," Edward sassed. "And the investigation?"

Gordon took a deep breath, then stood up. "I won't ask to be privy to it. I still need to work with Sharp and Strange, for the time being. Get me something solid though, and I'll throw them both in jail myself." Gordon looked Edward directly in the eyes. "In the meantime, watch your step. Do not directly confront the Mayor or Strange. Inform me of anything major you find out. And..." he trailed off for a moment, then said the words Edward had expected. "You know I'm going to have to tell him about this."

"That's your prerogative," Edward said. He looked impatiently towards the door. "Now, if you don't mind?"

Gordon nodded. "Go." Edward leaned down to pick up his cane and dashed out the door without a look back.


	3. Now What Do We Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allies and enemies alike ponder what their next steps will be.

The bullpen had resumed its usual hum by the time Edward stepped out of the elevator, but he paid it no attention. Nor did he pay attention to the silence that followed as he came into the open, or the curious looks on the officers' faces as he scanned the ground floor. There were only so many places in GCPD Penny could have gone, but he didn't trust the officers not to tail him if he went looking around. Their new-found respect for him would only go so far, he expected. He walked towards the large front doors and heard a throat clear. He looked sharply to his right and saw Cash leaning on the wall just outside the waiting room. He pointed his hook towards the doors.

"She ran out the front doors about three minutes ago," he explained. "I think she's at the tree. She looked real upset. She wouldn't stop to talk to anyone." Cash hesitated a moment, then set his jaw. "Think she needs you."

Edward nodded, then went out the doors without a word. The sky was a dark grey, and the chill in the air was a small shock to Edward after the warmth of GCPD, but thankfully, it wasn't raining. He did a quick scan of the front parking lot, noting despite the number of cars, there were no people. He looked towards the tree that stood just to the left of the entrance, and he saw her. Penny was standing directly under the shade of the tall tree, its foliage still a bright green even at this time of year. She had her arms wrapped around herself and although her back was turned to him, Edward could tell by her slumped shoulders that she was upset. He briskly walked towards her, and as he got closer, noticed a shudder run through her body. "Penny?" he called out when he was about two feet away. She sharply turned, and he paused when he saw the unshed tears in her eyes. He leaned his cane up against the tree's trunk and went to her side in an instant. "Penny," he said in a low, soothing voice, gently gripping her shoulders. He hesitated, wishing for the first time he could remember that empathy came easier to him. "Are you alright?"

Penny shook her head. "He played us, Eddie."

Edward sighed. "I know."

"All that time we were acting against the Board, we were playing right into his hands," she continued in a sharp tone. Another tremor ran through her, and Edward realized that the emotion he was seeing wasn't grief, but fury. "That's what he does. He takes anything we do and he somehow turns it to his advantage. God only knows what he did to those patients to force them to go along with this-" her voice cracked and she reached up to wipe her eyes. Edward rubbed her shoulders gently and watched as she let out a long sigh. She looked up at him and he was struck by just how defeated she looked. "Strange has been one step ahead of us all along,' she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "How can we stop him? What can we even do now, Eddie?"

Any grudging respect Edward had for Strange's play was replaced by a dark fury at the man for the pain he'd caused Penny. For a moment, he regretted ever allowing her to join his investigation, for exposing her to Strange's cruelty, but he quickly put it out of mind. Penny was the most stubborn woman he'd ever met. She'd told him herself that she would have opposed Strange no matter what he did, and right now, what she didn't need was his regret. He took a quick look at their surroundings. The trunk of the tree was wide enough to block them from any curious onlookers from inside GCPD, and the parking lot was still empty. "Come here, Penny," he whispered, pulling her against his chest. She froze for only a moment before she shut her eyes and returned his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder. Edward rubbed her back, then placed his hands above her waist. "He might have been one step ahead of us, but he hasn't won. Not by a longshot. His attempt at framing me for the attacks couldn't have backfired worse if he tried." Penny's grip tightened against him a bit and he frowned. Perhaps bringing up the frame job wasn't the best idea. "What?"

"Before he left me in the basement," Penny said, her voice somewhat muffled. "Schrader told me that he was looking forward to the look on your face when he told you that I was dead."

Edward regretted Schrader's death for the impact it had on the investigation, but now, that regret was outweighed by the outrage that he wasn't the one who'd wiped the son of a bitch from the Earth. "It would have been the last thing he ever saw before I ripped his eyes out," he growled. He then let out a sigh and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Then a thought came to him. If Schrader had succeeded in murdering Penny...Strange would have had to have known that Edward would retaliate. Indeed, if Edward would have been returned to custody, he would have been in a prime position to escape and wreak vengeance on Strange and Sharp and he wouldn't have been in any state to hold back. Why would Strange risk that-he wouldn't have. "You weren't supposed to die last night."

Penny looked up at him, confused. "What?"

"Think about it," Edward said, his mind going full speed ahead. "Sharp told you that one day, you'd understand his actions. You couldn't understand his actions if you were dead, now could you? Sharp at least was under the belief that you'd survive the night. So either Strange lied to him about his intentions for you, or Schrader went against Strange's instructions. Given Strange's modus operandi, which is the likelier explanation?"

Penny's brow creased in thought as she worked it out, then her eyes went wide. "He wanted to break me," she said. "Killing Joan and the others, discrediting our work, taking you away from me...he wanted me alive to suffer all of that. He's a sadist. It's why he hasn't just tried to kill either of us. He wants to break us first."

"Hence why Schrader's dead," Edward continued. "Strange doesn't like it when his minions don't follow his orders. Now he's down an important ally in GCPD, and he must have had quite an interesting conversation with Sharp last night or this morning. His control isn't as absolute as he needs it to be, and now he's made me a hero. He's going to be scrambling to fix that." Edward reached a hand up to cup her face. "And who is alive, with her group intact to recover from this setback and take advantage of his mistakes?"

Penny's face was still downcast. "After last night...I don't know that the others will want to continue. I can't ask Joan and the others to risk their lives again."

"They have as much incentive to want to see Strange brought down as we do," Edward argued. "Not to mention, your ace in the hole. Yours truly. I'm a walking, talking refutation of any argument Strange and Sharp may make against your work. I'll be sure to hammer that point on all the news programs I'm sure to be invited on in the next few weeks." He ran his thumb across her cheek in a caressing touch. "Whatever may or may not happen with the rest of your committee, I'll be there. You have my word." A ghost of a smile finally appeared on Penny's face, even if it didn't quite reach her eyes. That would have to do, for now, he supposed. He chuckled. "Aren't you glad that you have such a clever, loving, devoted partner?"

Penny let out a groan at that and Edward laughed in earnest. Then her face became stricken. "I never thanked you for saving me."

"And you'll never have to," Edward said, his voice all seriousness now. He grasped both of her hands in his and brought them up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. "I always will, no matter what. I promise."

Penny's eyes became mournful and she gripped onto his hands tightly. "Eddie, don't make promises you can't keep."

Edward scoffed gently. "I'm not in the habit of making empty promises, my dear doctor. I’m sure you have that written down somewhere."

Penny smiled again, and this time, the smile did reach her eyes as she reached up to cup his face. "I'll have to add that to your file." She leaned up, closing her eyes and he met her halfway, meeting her lips with a kiss. He couldn't help but let out a happy sigh as he closed his eyes and lost himself in her. He'd forgotten, after so many years, just how much enjoyed the act of kissing, the feeling of being with someone he genuinely loved. He'd never thought he would feel that again. Eventually, they had to break away, and when they did, he rested his forehead against hers, and simply stared into her eyes, her ice-blue eyes, normally cold, but now expressing as much love for him as he had for her. 

"Do you feel a little better, at least?" he asked.

"Yes," Penny answered. "Thank you." Her face grew serious again and she sighed. "Joan wanted me to call her today. I should reach out to her and the others."

Edward nodded. "I have things I need to see to as well." He thought about the fifty-five voice mails on his phone and suppressed a cringe. "When will I see you again?"

Penny's face became thoughtful. "Come back to my apartment tonight. Six o'clock?"

"I'll be there with bells and whistles," Edward said. A grin came to his face. "Is this a date?"

Penny opened her mouth, then nodded. "If you'd like it to be, yes."

Edward let out a happy squeal. "Oh, I most certainly would, darling."

Penny arched an eyebrow. "'Darling'?"

Edward felt his face flush. "Ah, well, I've always been fond of pet names. Is it a bit much?"

Penny shook her head. "I don't want to be called that more than my name, but...I can get used to it."

Edward smiled again, then nuzzled his nose against hers. "Penny. My darling Penny."

She gave him a quick smile before she gently disentangled herself out of his embrace. She let out a breath. "Well. I'm going to have to face my group sometime."

"I have every confidence in you," Edward said. "And remember, my offer of doing a joint tell-all interview with Vicki vale still stands."

She let out a small laugh then. "Never." She gave him one last small smile. "I'll see you tonight, Eddie."

"Until tonight, my darling doctor," Edward said, giving her a short bow. She leaned up to quickly kiss him on the cheek, then began to walk towards her car. Edward watched her go, his eyes drifting downward slightly to watch the sway of her hips until she disappeared from view. Didn't he have something to look forward to this evening?

"Down, Edward," he scolded himself, reaching into his pocket to pull out his cell phone. While he was in GCPD, he'd received ten new calls, most of them from the various news outlets, one from Selina and another one from Oswald. He sighed. It was 10:45 now. He had enough time to call Nina and Deirdre back before he went back to his office to watch Sharp's press conference and reach out to his informants, as well as call Oswald, Selina, and Ellen back-

"Hey, Nigma."

Edward almost dropped his phone, then whirled around to see Cash standing just a few feet away from him. He didn't need to be a genius to know that the officer had probably witnessed much of his interlude with Penny. "Yes?" he drawled.

"I said earlier I had some things I wanna talk to you about," Cash grunted. "So: you and Doc?"

"Me and Penelope, yes," Edward answered. Why he and other people insisted on calling her that instead of her proper name he'd never know. "Let me guess: if I step one hair out of line, you'll 'beat my sorry ass all the way to Bludhaven?'"

Cash walked up to him and poked him in the chest. "You step one hair out of line, I'm gonna make you _wish_ I beat your sorry ass all the way to Bludhaven!"

Edward rolled his eyes at the display. "Charming. Also, bold of you to assume that she'll leave you anything left of me if I step out of line."

Cash let out a laugh at that. "That's fair enough," he admitted. Then his face grew serious again. "You love her, don't you?"

"Yes," Edward said. "And she loves me."

"That's all I need to know," Cash said. He reached his right hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Is it true about Schrader? That he was behind this?"

"Yes," Edward said, putting his phone into his pocket. "Strange ordered him to arm the gunmen and set up a bomb in the basement of City Hall."

Cash let out a long breath. "Jesus Christ. I'm glad that bastard's dead. I just wish I'd been able to get my hands on him first."

"I think I more than made up for that," Edward quipped. He chewed his bottom lip for a moment while he pondered his next words. "Cash," he said at last. "Schrader may have been the highest-ranked member of GCPD in Strange's pocket, but I think it's safe to assume he wasn't the only one."

"I hear you," Cash said with a nod. "The Commish is starting to look into whoever Schrader might have worked with. It's hush-hush right now. Only me and Montoya know."

"Montoya was Schrader's partner. You're certain she didn't know about any of this?"

"I'm damn sure. Montoya's a good cop. She'd never go along with any of this bullshit."

Edward would find that out for himself, once he'd gotten ahold of his man in GCPD. Meanwhile, there was one more thing he needed to ask Cash, no matter how much it touched on his pride. "I'm the cleverest man in Gotham by far," he said, ignoring Cash's scoff. "But even I can't be everywhere at once." He gave Cash a serious look. "You'll look after her in GCPD, won't you?"

Cash's brown eyes widened. Then he reached out and pat him on the shoulder. "You don't have to ask, Edward."

Cash would have to be added to the list of people who before today had never referred to him by his first name. Edward nodded and took a step back. "Well, now that we've reached that understanding, I have things I need to see to."

"Yeah, I gotta get back to work too. I find out anything, you and Doc will be the first to know." Cash lumbered back towards GCPD and Edward began the trek back to his car. Well. This morning had given him quite a bit to mull over, as well as the prospect of some enchanted evening laying ahead. First thing was first though, he had several calls to return. Once he was inside his car, Edward dialed Nina's number. The phone only rang once before she picked up.

_"Eddie? Is that you?"_

"Good morning, Nina!" Edward said in a brassy tone. "How are we today?"

 _"Hold on, let me put you on speaker. Deirdre! Eddie called back!"_ There was small background noise and then Deirdre's familiar, low tone could be heard.

_"Boss?"_

"Hi, Deirdre! How are-"

 _"Cut the crap, boss,"_ Deirdre interrupted. _"What the fuck happened last night!?"_

Oh good, she was angry. Edward swallowed nervously. "Ah, well, it's a bit of a long story..."

* * *

_"This is Summer Gleeson, continuing our coverage of the tragic events in Gotham City last night. We now have reports of an explosion that occurred last night in the Gotham River, just outside of the Narrows neighborhood in Gotham's west side. GCPD crews were seen early this morning towing the remains of a van out of the river. Commissioner Gordon has not confirmed whether this incident is connected to the events of last night, but has promised a full investigation. Mayor Sharp will be conducting a press conference in an hour to address last night's attacks, as well as to outline the City's response. Sources have also said that Mayor Sharp intends to announce the identities of the perpetrators of last night's attacks. When asked about Edward Nigma's heroic actions at City Hall, Mayor Sharp's office had no comment. Despite numerous attempts by GCNN and other news networks, Mr. Nigma himself has also made no public statement. We'll continue to provide updates on the situation as it unfolds."_

Ward had quit smoking over twenty years ago, but right now, he wanted nothing more than a cigarette. He was sitting in Strange's office in Arkham Asylum in one of his hard wooden chairs, watching the news coverage on the office television. Strange himself was standing, his hands clasped in front of him, watching the news with his back turned to Ward. "It's almost noon now," Ward muttered. "Why hasn't Nigma made any kind of statement? What is he doing?"

"No doubt our new 'hero' is otherwise occupied," Strange sneered. "No matter. The longer his absence, the more control we will have over the narrative."

Ward swallowed. He'd known there would be an incident, that Nigma was supposed to take the fall for it, but this, this...this was beyond the nightmare scenario that Nigma's defeat of Bane had been that summer. When Strange had approached him, all those years ago, with a grand vision to rid Gotham of its criminal scum once and for all, he'd never even begun to conceive of this moment. "What are we going to do about him?"

"For now, nothing," Strange answered. "Nigma's antics last night have won him a considerable amount of goodwill. He is, for the moment, untouchable. By us, at least." Strange began to chuckle. "No doubt his former associates will have other ideas."

"God, not now," Ward groaned. "Not after last night. We can't afford another Rogue incident." He sighed. "What's the death count?"

"205, with 298 wounded," Strange said. "Not as high as it could have been, thanks to Nigma's interference, but a powerful symbol nonetheless." Ward shut his eyes. 205...that was double the amount of casualties of the Arkham Riot. "Do not concern yourself with the dead," Strange said as if he could read his thoughts. "To bring about our vision, sacrifices were always going to have to be made. Think of how many lives will be spared in the long term, once we have the filth of this city contained."

It was what Ward said to himself, every time doubt crept in, but now...it was starting to become more difficult. "What happened to Schrader? I thought he was supposed to get Nigma in custody."

There was a pause before Strange spoke. "Schrader defied my explicit instructions regarding Dr. Young."

Ward's head perked up. "He killed her?" It would solve many problems if he did, but then he remembered Nigma's presence at City Hall. If the woman was dead, they'd all know it. "He tried to, but Nigma stopped him, didn't he?"

"He did. Schrader underestimated Nigma's physical prowess and it cost him dearly. At this stage, I cannot afford that level of failure. Schrader was disposed of. He will take Nigma's place as our scapegoat."

Ward felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "Schrader was our inside man in GCPD-"

"He is replaceable," Strange argued. He turned his head slightly to glare at Ward. "Are you questioning my decision, Phillip?"

Ward's blood ran cold and he gulped. "No, of course not." A thought occurred to him. "Does Quincy know about that?"

"I informed him this morning, yes, when I gave him his remarks for his press conference." Strange's eyes narrowed, which made Ward even more nervous. "The Mayor was quite...agitated when I informed him of Schrader's actions."

After seeing the tantrum Sharp threw after Nigma made the news last night, Ward could easily imagine the fit the Mayor must have had. He was too attached to Young still. "But he'll be alright to do the press conference?"

"I was able to get him under control. Unfortunately, I am forced to make a concession that I would have preferred to avoid." Strange let out an irritated huff. "The Mayor has insisted that he be allowed to hire Lyle Bolton as his new chief of security."

Ward resisted the urge to bang his head against Strange's desk. "Christ. Bolton's a maniac. What is Quincy thinking?"

"The Mayor's relationship with rationality had always been dubious at best," Strange said. "However, I am willing to entertain it for now. I will make it very clear to Bolton the fate that awaits him should he take liberties."

Ward thought of Schrader again and gulped. "What now? Nigma and Young are going to pick up where they left off, and with what Nigma did last night Gordon might try to bring him into the fold, and if he does...you saw the footage last night. If Nigma and Batman aren't already working together, it's only a matter of time until they start."

Strange was silent for a long moment and Ward feared he may have gone too far. Strange then crossed the room towards an antique chessboard that he had set up. "In the game of chess, the most dangerous piece is the Knight, but the most powerful is the Queen." He reached out a finger and knocked the piece over. "And a King is only as good as his Queen." A grin split Strange's face. "Nigma may have slipped the net, but in doing so, he has revealed his weakness. There is one man who he has never been able to stand against, not even in his prime as the Riddler. A man who has unfinished business with Nigma's Queen."

The hair on the back of Ward's neck stood up. "You can't...not him, not now-"

"No, not now. Let Nigma have his time with her in the spotlight. It will make it all the more devasting when he loses everything." Strange turned sharply towards Ward. "Schrader is not just a warning for Bolton, Phillip. He is a warning for you as well. Remember that."

Ward sat in the chair, not moving, barely even daring to breathe. Finally, he nodded. "Yes, Hugo."

* * *

Bruce had managed about four hours of sleep before he woke up early to monitor the news feeds. A cup of cold coffee sat forgotten by his side at the Batcomputer. "Oracle," he said, ignoring how heavy his eyes felt. "Any updates?"

 _"Nigma came to GCPD about an hour ago to meet with my Dad. Dr. Young's there too."_ Bruce nodded. Gordon had told him last night that he intended to bring Edward in and address his investigation. Bruce would stop by GCPD that evening to see what, if anything, Edward had shared. _"GCPD's also confirmed that each of the gunmen involved in the attacks was a patient at Arkham. Sharp is going to announce this at his press conference today."_

Bruce shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Strange allowed the Joker to escape to distract us from the patient releases. Schrader must have armed them with GCPD weapons."

_"That's not all he did. There was an explosion in the Narrows last night. GCPD towed the remains of a white van out of the Gotham River. The bomb squad found pieces of a bomb in the back of a van that matches the bomb found in City Hall's basement."_

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Did you talk to Jason about this?"

_"I did this morning. He said that after he took out the gunmen, he found the bomb in the back of the van and drove the van into the river."_

Bruce steepled his fingers in front of him. Jason knew how to disarm Edward's bombs. Why would he have driven the van into the river instead of attempting to disarm it? But why would he lie about driving the van into the river? "Do you believe him?"

_"No. I'm almost positive someone else drove the van. Jason called me last night when the attack at City Hall was happening. I told him what was going on and told him to keep an eye out in the Narrows. Before he hung up, I heard someone yelling at him about the gunmen. I think Jason has a partner."_

Bruce took a deep breath. If Jason had a partner, that was a complication they didn't need. "Look into it when you can, Barbara. In the meantime, keep monitoring the communications in GCPD regarding the investigation into the attacks."

_"You got it. What are you going to do?"_

Bruce pulled himself out of his chair. Alfred had nagged him about getting more sleep, but that could wait. "I'm going to watch Sharp's press conference, then I'm going to a meeting with Leslie, Dr. Young, Dr. Leland, and Joe Bryant. And then tonight..." He discarded the contents of the coffee cup into the trash can by the computer. "I'm going to talk to Edward."


	4. Strain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mayor Sharp holds his press conference while Edward, Penelope, and Ellen narrate the previous night's events to their social circles, some of whom take it better than others...

_11:30 am_

Nina and Deirdre dutifully listened to Edward narrate the events of the previous night without any interruption or commentary. It was only when he concluded the tale that Deirdre spoke up. _"Ok, let me see if I got this right: Hugo Strange and Quincy Sharp were behind an attack that killed over two hundred people and they tried to frame you for it, but because you went to City Hall to tell the Doc you love her, you got filmed saving a couple of dozen people and now the whole city thinks you're a hero. That about right?"_

"Succinct as always, my dear," Edward quipped. "That is about the gist of it, yes."

For a moment, the only sound Edward heard was the sharp intake of breath. Finally, Deirdre spoke. _"Jesus. Fucking. Christ, boss! We can't leave you alone for five minutes without you getting in the middle of some bullshit, can we!?"_

Edward pouted. "Oh, thank you very much for that Deirdre! Did you miss the part where I defused the bomb and saved the day? I think I've proven that I can more than handle myself!"

 _"She's just worried about you,"_ Nina chimed in before her girlfriend could speak, _"We're always gonna worry about you, Eddie."_

Edward sighed and leaned his head against his headrest. "I know, dear, and I appreciate it." Nina and Deirdre had been with him from the beginning, from before most of what he could remember. He couldn't hold too much against them.

 _"So what now?"_ Nina asked. 

"Now?" Edward asked. "Now, I'm going to go back home and start rounding up my informants, as well as start returning the sixty-four missed calls I have."

 _"What about you and the Doc?"_ Deirdre asked.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Me and Penelope? Well, we still need to iron out some details, but..." a soft smile came to Edward's face as he thought of their morning before Gordon had called, and of the evening that lay ahead of them. "I feel confident in calling her, my girlfriend." There was another long pause on the other end of the phone, which made Edward frown. "I'm detecting a distinct lack of enthusiasm, girls."

 _"Don't take this the wrong way, Boss,"_ Deirdre said in her usual brusque tone. _"And it's nothing personal against the Doc. She's a Hell of a lot better for you than Kyle ever was. It's just, are you sure getting into another relationship is a good idea? You don't exactly have a great track record with them. We don't want to see you with a broken heart. Again."_

 _"And is it a good idea to get into a relationship with everything going on with Strange?"_ Nina piped up. _"He could use Doc against you."_

Edward impatiently sighed and internally counted to five before he snapped at the girls. "Believe me, I spent the better part of yesterday considering the pros and cons of entering another relationship. I realize that I have a lot going on right now, but Penelope's been a part of the business with Strange since nearly the beginning. My being in a relationship with her doesn't change much. And more importantly, she loves me. And I love her." Edward let out another, dreamy sigh. "I haven't felt this way about anyone since Jonathan. I can't say for certain that we'll grow old together, but for now, she makes me happier than I've been in a long time. Isn't that the important thing?"

There was a third long pause and Edward felt his heart rate go up while he waited for the girls to respond. Finally, Deirdre let out a huff. _"Ok, boss. If this is what you want, then we'll be ok with it."_

 _"Yeah, Eddie,"_ Nina added. _"If she makes you happy, that's all we need to know."_

Edward relaxed, letting out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, girls. That means a lot."

 _"Just one last thing,"_ Deirdre asked. _"What does the kiddo think?"_

"Ellen? From what I can tell, she's all for it. She was the one who told me to go to her last night, after all."

_"Good. That's step one."_

Edward cocked his head slightly. "'Step one'? What does that mean, Deirdre?"

Nina cackled. _"It means when Deirdre and I come for Christmas, we're going to give Doc the proper Team Riddler greeting!"_

"You will do no such thing!" Edward shouted. "You will conduct yourselves around Penelope like civilized-wait. 'Team Riddler Greeting'? Is that an actual thing or are you taking advantage of my amnesia again?" Laughter was the only response he received and Edward groaned. "You know, it's times like this I'm glad the pair of you moved to Central City."

 _"Aww, we love you too, Boss,"_ the girls cooed as one.

Edward had to laugh at that. Then he checked his watch. 11:45. "Well, if there's nothing else, I need to get going. I'll talk to you soon, and...thank you again."

 _"Bye Eddie. Be careful!"_ Nina said before hanging up. Edward put the phone down in his drink coaster and finally started his car. If he hurried, he might be able to catch the majority of the Mayor's press conference. As he pulled out of the GCPD parking lot, his grip tightened around the steering wheel. What an event that was sure to be.

* * *

_11:55 am_

Mayor Quincy Sharp sat behind his oak desk, reviewing the speech that had been written last night, barring a few alterations that had been necessary. Deputy Mayor Jensen stood by his side, alongside a few other staffers, their faces grey and drawn. Sharp himself kept himself composed as he reviewed the remarks. It wouldn't do to lose his temper again, as he had that morning when Professor Strange had called. Even now, Sharp could feel the bile rising in his throat. Detective Schrader...Sharp couldn't recall if he'd ever met the man, but how he hoped he had suffered before he died. He had dared to harm Penelope, and in doing so, he had opened the door for... _that_ _man_ to swoop in where he didn't belong, stealing the glory and limelight and eluding his much-deserved comeuppance-Sharp took a deep breath, as Professor Strange had advised him. The press conference was his time, his chance to lead Gotham from the darkness into the light, and no one, no self-righteous playboy, no deranged vigilante, and certainly no jumped up criminal lunatic would take it away from him. 

A brisk knock on the office doors drew Sharp out of his dark thoughts. "Yes?"

The door opened and a member of Sharp's security detail poked his head inside. "They're ready for you downstairs, Mr. Mayor."

With a nod, Sharp got up from his chair. "Good. Gentlemen?" As one, the group left the office and proceeded down the corridor to the main elevator. The press conference would be held in the City Council Chamber. Everyone in Gotham's press corp would be in attendance, including that insufferable Ryder and Nigma's pet Vale. Sharp scowled. Couldn't Schrader have tried to murder one of them instead of pushing Penelope even further into the arms of that madman? Sharp took a breath. It wouldn't do to lose his composure in front of the press. He needed to present himself as calm, dignified, a shepherd as Professor Strange had said. The sound of the elevator doors opening drew Sharp out of his thoughts. It was time.

The security team proceeded first, entering a side door that led to the main chamber where the City Council sat. Sharp's staffers followed, then Deputy Mayor Jensen. Finally, Sharp entered the chamber and was greeted by the sight of dozens of reporters and cameras. As soon as he came into the line of sight of the press corp, the chamber exploded in noise.

_"Mayor Sharp-"_

_"What are your comments-"_

_"Do you have any leads-"_

_"Do you have any comment on the actions of-"_

Deputy Mayor Jensen held his hand up. "Please, refrain from asking questions until after the Mayor's address, thank you." The questions ceased, but the noise of cameras was ever-present. Sharp crossed the chamber to a podium that had been set up. He stood in front of the microphone with Jensen and his staffers to his left, and his security detail to his right, presenting a united front for the press corps. He wished that Professor Strange was with him now, but the man had said the time wasn't right. Sharp took a look over the assembled crows, cleared his throat, and began his speech.

"Good afternoon, members of the press and citizens of Gotham City," he said in a clear, authoritative voice. "Last night, at approximately 6:15 pm, two gunmen attacked the dedication ceremony at City Hall. Unfortunately, we have since become aware of similar attacks that were carried out simultaneously in different locations across Gotham City." Sharp thickly swallowed, playing up the appearance of a grieving man. "I would like to ask for a moment of silence for the victims of these atrocities." He bowed his head and saw the other staffers and reporters do likewise. He suppressed a smirk and raised his head. "I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to all those who are wounded and to the families of the victims, and my assurances that the Mayor's office will do everything in our power to ensure that such tragedy never happens in our city again. I was elected as Mayor on the promise that I would make this city safe again. While we have made much progress towards fulfilling this promise, there is more work to do. These...animals that have unleashed this violence upon our citizens will not deter us from our mission. I want to reassure the citizens of Gotham that their safety is our priority. I have been in extensive communication with Commissioner Gordon as well as others regarding these attacks, and we will work together to ensure the safety of everyone in our city, and determine what steps need to be taken to prevent any future violence." He paused, then gave the reporters a nod. "I will now answer questions."

Immediately, the clamor started. Sharp pointed a finger towards Claude Farell, a reporter for the Gotham Herald, the first newspaper that had endorsed his campaign. "Mayor Sharp is there anything you can tell us about the identities of the attackers?"

Sharp took a breath. Strange had assured him that he could contain the fallout. Not as well as if Nigma had taken the fall, as he was supposed to, but contained nevertheless. "I can confirm that everyone involved in the shootings is deceased. Furthermore, every single gunman was a patient recently released from Arkham Asylum."

As expected, the entire chamber was in an uproar.

_"How recently released-"_

_"What were they in Arkham for-"_

_"Is there any connection between these attacks and the Joker's escape-"_

Sharp raised a hand. "At this stage, we cannot confirm any connection between these attackers and the Joker, though that is certainly being looked into. I have spoken at length with the Warden of Arkham Asylum, who has promised a thorough investigation. However, these attackers had help carrying out their plan. Commissioner Gordon has confirmed that a Detective Curtis Schrader was involved as well." Another wave of questions erupted from the reporters and Sharp nodded towards Summer Gleeson.

"Mayor Sharp, what was the extent of this Detective Schrader's involvement? And what was his motive?"

Sharp did his level best to keep the triumphant smirk off his face. "It would be premature for me to speculate on his motivations. Those are questions I believe are best reserved for Commissioner Gordon, once he concludes GCPD's investigation. What I can say, however, is that clearly, more work needs to be done cleaning out corruption within the ranks of GCPD." Gordon may have escaped the Commission, but there would be no way out for him here. Sharp would see to that. "I will take more questions," he said, looking over the assembled throng. Ryder's hand stook straight up in the air and Sharp sighed. "Yes, Mr. Ryder?"

"Thank you, Mayor," Ryder said in that smug tone. "Do you have any comment on the heroic actions of Edward Nigma last night?"

Nigma. Nigma. Sooner or later, everything always came back to _Nigma_. Sharp tightly gripped the sides of the podium, only to hear Jensen clear his throat. Sharp took a breath. "I..." No. He couldn't do it. He could not, would not show _that man_ any gratitude. "I have no comment," he ground out, and he didn't need to look to know Jensen was disappointed. "Next question?"

* * *

Sharp's press conference wasn't viewed just by the people of Gotham City. In a city over a hundred miles away, another reporter was watching Mayor Sharp intently, studying every remark, every subtle tic. He considered himself good at reading people, and the picture he was getting now was...interesting. He watched Sharp's reaction to Ryder's question abut Nigma and noticed how the man tensed, noticed how his face reddened. He'd heard that there was bad blood between the two, he'd been following Nigma's antics for the past year, but to see Sharp's enmity on display like this...he arched a red eyebrow. "Interesting," he muttered. He got off of his couch and walked down the hall of his cramped, paper filled apartment towards his small closet. He pulled out a suitcase and carried it towards his meager dresser. This situation in Gotham required a more...thorough investigation.

That, and it had been too long since he'd seen Helena. 

* * *

_1:30 pm_

Penelope's stomach had been twisting in knots throughout Sharp's press conference, and even more so now, on her drive towards Joan's apartment. Joan had called her the moment the press conference ended, telling her that Bruce, Joe, and Dr. Thompkins were on their way. While Joan hadn't come out and said that Penelope needed to come clean about her partnership with Edward, Penelope knew her friend well enough to know that was exactly what she wanted her to do. And Joan was right, of course. If they were going to stand any real chance of countering whatever Sharp and Strange were planning, then she needed to fully disclose everything that she and Edward had done in the past year. That, of course, was assuming that the others would even want to continue after she told them the full extent of Strange's plan...Penelope stopped at a red light and sighed. For a brief moment, she almost wished that she had asked Edward to accompany her, but she suspected that his presence could do as much harm as good. Not to mention, if his words last night were any indication, he'd probably take a swing at Bruce.

When she parked in front of Joan's apartment building, she saw that Dr. Thompkins' and Joe's cars were already there. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and took one last deep breath to steel her nerves. No matter what happened in that apartment, she told herself, her work would continue. She wouldn't stop until Strange and Sharp were behind bars. She opened her eyes, and with a renewed sense of purpose, got out of her car and walked into the fifteen-story apartment building.

Less than five minutes later, Penelope stood on the other side of Joan's fifth-floor apartment door. No sooner had she rapped her knuckles against the door did Joan answer. The words Penelope wanted to say died on her lips as she saw Joan's drawn face and the dark circles around her eyes. Despite her obvious fatigue, Joan still fixed Penelope with her kind smile. "Hi, Penelope."

Penelope stepped forward and uncharacteristically embraced her friend. "Joan," she said when she pulled away. "Are you alright?"

Joan let out a rueful laugh. "As well as I can be," she said. "How are you holding up?"

Penelope sighed. "I have...a lot to tell you."

Joan nodded, then gestured for Penelope to follow her into the apartment. "Everyone else is in the living room. Come in." Penelope followed Joan inside, shutting the door behind her and hanging her coat on the coatrack before following Joan to the living room. Dr. Thompkins and Joe were sitting in living room chairs, while Bruce was standing by Joan's bookshelf. As soon as Bruce made eye contact with Penelope, he crossed the living room towards her. 

"Penelope," he said, his eyes downcast with regret. "I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for what I did last night. I never meant to put you in danger."

"It wasn't your fault, Bruce," Penelope said. She looked past his shoulder to Joe and Dr. Thompkins. "If anything, I should be apologizing to all of you. I was the one who brought you all to City Hall-"

"You couldn't have known what was going to happen," Dr. Thompkins said. She then gestured towards the couch where Joan had already taken a seat. "At any rate, regret won't get us anywhere."

"Dr. Thompkins is right," Joe said. "We need to think about where we go from here." Bryant nodded towards Penelope. "Is what the Mayor said true? That the gunmen were Arkham patients?"

Penelope took a seat next to Joan. "I spoke with Commissioner Gordon at GCPD this morning," she said. "He confirmed that the gunmen were the Arkham patients who were released the day the Joker escaped." Joe's and Leslie's faces darkened, while Bruce's was unreadable. Penelope swallowed. "Before anything else," she said more confidently than she felt, "I think you all deserve to know the full truth of what happened last night." And so, with all of her group's eyes on her, Penelope narrated what had happened after she'd run after Bruce. She heard their gasps when she told them about Schrader, felt the gentle pressure of Joan's hand on top of hers as she narrated what the detective had said and done to her in the basement. She saw Dr. Thompkins cover her mouth when she told them about the plot to frame Edward, saw Joe's eyes widen when she told them that Edward's actions were even more heroic than what the media was reporting. "...And that's when we found you in City Hall, Joe." Penelope took a breath and surveyed the reactions of the others. Joan's eyes were glistening with unshed tears, Dr. Thompkins looked stunned, Joe looked furious, and Bruce's mouth was a tight line, his blue eyes hard.

"My God," Dr. Thompkins breathed. "Sharp and Strange...set the attacks up? They intended to kill us all and frame Nigma for it?"

Penelope sighed. "Yes." She lightly squeezed Joan's hand, then brushed it aside. "After everything that happened last night, I understand if any of you don't wish to continue our work." Bruce opened his mouth to speak but Penelope continued. "I'm grateful for everything that you've done, but I never wanted any of you to risk your lives for it." Bruce's mouth closed and he looked thoughtful. Joan however, spoke immediately.

"I've come this far with you Penelope," she said authoritatively. "I'm not backing down now."

"Me neither," Joe said, giving her a nod. "If you're still in this Doc, I'm in, 100%."

"Sharp no doubt is going to use the events of last night to steamroll whatever laws and ordinances he wasn't able to enact during the Commission, and God only knows what Strange will do at Arkham Asylum. We need to serve as an opposition group, now more than ever." Dr. Thompkins said. "We all saw the press conference. Sharp's getting ready to make Commissioner Gordon a scapegoat. If he succeeds in pushing him out-"

"He won't," Bruce said at last. "We won't let him." He gave Penelope a small grin. "Right, Dr. Young?"

This hadn't been at all what Penelope had expected. She hadn't dared to hope for this. Seeing the determined looks on her colleagues, her friends' faces, she felt her internal spark come back. "Right," she said with a nod. She exhaled. "Thank you. All of you."

"All that being said, I do think there's one more thing I'd like for you to clear up, Penelope," Dr. Thompkins said. The older woman fixed her with a critical gaze. "What exactly is the relationship between you and Edward Nigma?"

Penelope took another breath. "Mr. Nigma-Edward," Penelope corrected herself. "And I have been working together to investigate Sharp and Strange for the past year," Penelope noted that Joe seemed to be the only person surprised. Joan already knew, of course, and Bruce and Dr. Thompkins had probably suspected something since the Gala. "I want to assure all of you though, that Edward's only involvement in our work has been to help support my efforts. All of the actions that I've taken have been my own, not his."

"Of course," Dr. Thompkins said. "I didn't mean to imply anything, but is that all that's going on between the two of you?"

"Leslie," Bruce said, his face coloring. "Is that our business?"

"It's alright, Bruce," Penelope said. "As a matter of fact..." After what had happened last night, what point was there to lie? "Edward and I are lovers."

At that, Bruce and Joan did look surprised. "Penelope!" Joan gasped.

Dr. Thompkins sighed. "Given his actions last night, I'm not all that surprised," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Is that wise, however? I don't want him to come between you and your work with us. Also, if it became public knowledge that the two of you are together, that could call your objectivity into question. Sharp and Strange both could dismiss you as just another Harley Quinn."

Penelope narrowed her eyes at the comparison. "That won't be an issue. I know how to keep my personal and professional lives separate, and I'm discreet."

Dr. Thompkins raised an eyebrow. "Is he?"

"We'll be talking about it," Penelope said curtly. "I told you about my relationship with Edward in the interest of full disclosure, but if you don't mind, I'd rather not use our time to discuss my personal life."

"Right," Joe said, cutting Dr. Thompkins off before she could say anything else. "After what they tried to do to him though, Nigma's got to be gunnin' for the Mayor and Strange. Any idea what he's planning?"

Penelope briefly looked down at her hands, missing the calculating look that passed over Bruce's face. "I imagine he's going to be contacting any street informant he has to get a better sense of what happened last night," she said at last. She looked back up. "While he looks for evidence connecting Sharp and Strange to the attacks, we should focus on the narrative that Sharp puts out about the attacks and challenge him on it."

"What about Strange?" Joe asked. "Arkham's going to be under a lot of scrutiny now, between the Joker's escape and the patients being involved in these attacks. What do you think his game plan is?"

Penelope furrowed her brow in thought, and then Gordon's words came back to her. "The board," she said in realization. "Gordon told me that when he questioned Strange about the patients, that Strange had told him he was opposed to patient releases, but that the board had pressured him into it. He's going to push the blame for the attacks on the Board of Directors."

"And in doing so, he'll consolidate his power at Arkham," Bruce ground out, in a tone Penelope had never heard from him. "This was his plan all along."

"Arkham won't last long without a Board," Joan mused. "What's Strange's step after that?"

"I don't know," Penelope admitted. Her eyes drifted towards Joan's living room window, and the grey Gotham sky. Just twenty-four hours earlier, she'd thought they were nearing a turning point. She was right, in a way, but now her world had just become more complicated and dangerous. 

* * *

_2:30 pm_

Edward sat on his couch, one leg propped up, his cell phone glued to his ear. "I do apologize for taking so long to get back to you, Ms. Vale. The life of a busy, private investigator, you see." After returning home, Edward had watched the press conference, without retching somehow. Afterward, he'd spent about an hour reaching out to his informers, telling them to find out as much information as they could about Detective Schrader or anyone he may have associated with. His man in GCPD was the best source, but given the attacks, would be unreachable for the next few days. That work done, Edward had begun the tedious task of sifting through his voicemails and calling back those he thought merited his time. That shortened the list considerably. "Why yes, I did watch the Mayor's press conference. No, I have no idea why he didn't thank me." Edward thought back on Sharp's pathetic display and smirked. "My comment? Well, I thought I'd save my thoughts for TV. I'm offering you my first exclusive interview after my actions last night. Yes, Monday morning will be fine, as will my usual speaking fee. Yes, you may announce it tonight. Have to out scoop Ryder now don't we? No, thank you, Ms. Vale. See you Monday morning, at 8:00 am sharp. Thank you again, Ms. Vale."

Edward hung up the phone and placed it on his coffee table, stretching his arms above his head. Now that task was complete, time to get a glass of water and a bite to eat, then call Ellen back. He'd had a thought while on the phone with his informants. After the ugliness of the last few days, he needed a little break, and his girls needed one too. Why not take them onto the Mainland for a little excursion tomorrow, just the three of them on a family outing? Edward shook his head. 'Family outing'. The idea of him ever having one was inconceivable to him just a few years ago, and here he was, planning a family outing. What would his friends-Oswald. Edward sighed and picked his phone back up. Food and water could wait. He dialed Oswald's number and settled back against the couch, ready for the myriad of questions his friend was sure to ask him. He only heard one ring before Oswald picked up. _"Edward!"_ the man shouted before Edward could even get out a greeting. _"Where in God's name have you been!?"_

"Well, good afternoon to you too, Ozzie," Edward said once he had recovered. He'd expected questions, but he hadn't expected Oswald to be angry with him. "Is that any way to speak to me, after the day I've had?"

 _"Don't you take that tone with me, Edward,"_ Oswald seethed. _"Do you have any idea just what you've done!?"_

Edward frowned. "I believe I saved a few dozen people from mass murder and gotten myself on the news for it. They're calling me a hero now."

 _"So I've noticed,"_ Oswald said. His voice was lower, but his tone still sounded angry. _"Get down to the Iceberg Lounge now. We need to talk."_ Then all Edward heard was the sound of Oswald hanging up. Edward let out an irritated huff. So much for calling Ellen back.

* * *

Ellen at that moment was having a phone call of her own. Gramma was at the hospital again and would be for a long time. That left Ellen free run of the apartment, which meant she could call Marisol from the place with the best cell reception: the living room couch. "I'm ok, Marisol," she reassured her friend. "I'm at home now."

 _"What about everybody else?"_ Her friend's voice cut in through static. _"Are they ok?"_

"Yeah, Jon and Clarissa were at home when the attacks happened. Joe was out at the West Side mall where the gunmen were, but he was locked down in the bookstore. He said he saw Batgirl running past the window."

_"That's so scary. I'm glad you're all ok though. I watched some of the news and I saw your Dad. He helped save people?"_

"Damn right he did," Ellen said with a smile. "He beat up a gunman and disarmed a bomb under City Hall. The whole city's calling him a hero." Ellen idly began twirling a lock of her hair. "Marisol," she said softly. "If I tell you something, promise you won't freak out?"

_"What?"_

Ellen sighed. What she was about to say couldn't be unsaid, but she thought she'd go out of her mind if she couldn't get it off her chest. "I fought one of the gunmen last night."

 _"What!?"_ Marisol shrieked. _"You were at the West Side mall too!?"_

"No, I wasn't at the West Side mall," Ellen explained. She took a deep breath and spoke a mile a minute. "I was in the Narrows, with Red Hood, I helped him fight a gunman, and I kind of drove a bomb into the river."

There was a long pause as Marisol tried to deciphered what she'd just said. _"I-what-you drove a bomb into the-wait. Why were you in the Narrows with Red Hood!? Ellie, what's going on!?"  
_

"After you went to Puerto Rico, Red Hood approached me and said he could teach me how to be a superhero. He's been training me since June. I was out with him in the Narrows when the gunman drove up and started shooting up a bodega. I helped Red Hood fight one of the gunmen, and while he was taking care of the other one, I looked in their van and saw a bomb. I drove the van into the river before the van exploded."

 _"Oh my God, Ellie!"_ Marisol shrieked again. _"Are you crazy!? Why are you doing this? You're gonna get yourself killed!"_ Ellen heard sniffles and her heart sank. _"Are you doing this because of what happened to me and Miguel? Ellie, I don't want you to get hurt because of me!"_

Ellen for a moment didn't know what to say. "Please don't cry," she pleaded. "I'm sorry, but..." she trailed off. "Bolton got Miguel killed. He was gonna kill you, and use me against my Dad. I want to take him down and make sure he can't ever hurt anyone else like he hurt us. Red Hood's been teaching me how to do it." 

_"But Ellie, Red Hood's a gang leader! What if he's just using you?"_

"I know," Ellen said. "And I don't wanna be like him at all, but he saved us too. I don't think he's as bad a guy as people say he is. And..." She sighed. "I like it. I mean, I didn't like having to drive a bomb in the river, but wearing a costume, fighting bad guys, helping people...I like it, Marisol. Maybe I am crazy, but I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

Marisol let out a sigh herself. _"Does your Dad know what you're doing?"_

"Not yet," Ellen answered. "When I get really good at fighting when I'm officially Enigma...I'll tell him. He's been investigating the people behind Bolton. I'm gonna show him that I can help him."

There was another long pause before Marisol let out a strangled laugh. _"You know..."_ she said in a soft voice. _"Joe and I used to joke that someday, we'd see you on the news in a costume. Just promise me you'll be careful, or I'm gonna come back on the next boat and slap you."_

Ellen smiled. "I promise, Marisol. Please don't worry too much."

* * *

_3:00 pm_

The Iceberg Lounge was, predictably, almost empty when Edward arrived. The only people inside were the wait staff preparing the Lounge for the dinner crowd, none of whom met Edward's gaze as he walked through the ornate dining room. After his reception at GCPD that morning, he'd half-expected to be greeted with fanfare. He put it out of mind though as he made his way to Oswald's private office. A member of Oswald's security detail was standing outside the door, glaring down at Edward as he approached. "About time you showed yourself," the brick house of a man growled. "The boss is inside waitin' for you."

"Then I won't keep him," Edward sassed. "Now, if you don't mind?" The man stood aside and allowed Edward entrance. When he stepped inside the office, he could see Oswald sitting behind his desk, puffing angrily away at a cigarette, his eyes like flaming coals. Edward shut the door behind him and walked into the office, feeling like a schoolboy off to the principal's office. "Oswald-"

" _Sit down_ , Edward," Oswald hissed, pointing to the chair in front of his desk. Edward took the seat without another word, crossed between anger at being ordered so and confusion at his friend's tone. Oswald took another puff out of his cigarette before he stubbed it out in his crystal ashtray. "Do you recall the conversation we had after your escapade with Bane?"

Edward nodded. "I do."

"And do you recall what I said regarding your misadventures?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "That if I continued as I was, you would be limited in what you could do to protect me, times were changing, et cetera, et cetera. And?"

Oswald's gaze grew even darker. "'And'? 'And'!? Imagine my surprise when I turned on the television last night and saw you, working with Batman to foil an attack on City Hall! Do you have any idea just how many hours I've been spending on the phone, convincing our brethren not to drive to your apartment and shoot you dead!? How many favors I've had to call in, how many threats I've had to make!? What were you thinking, Edward!? Were you even thinking!? What in God's name were you even doing at City Hall last night? What on Earth possessed you to attack gunmen on live television!?"

Edward glared at his friend. "Well, it certainly wasn't my intent to be filmed saving random citizens!" He sighed. "I wasn't thinking, I suppose. I was reacting. Dr. Young-"

Oswald scoffed. "Oh, I might have guessed. Dr. Young once again found herself a damsel in distress, and once again, you abandoned all rational thought and ran to her rescue." He shook his head. "Partnership aside, just what do you find so compelling about that woman that you're willing to go to such lengths for her?"

'That woman'? Edward felt his blood heat. "What do I find so compelling about her? Fine, I'll tell you: I love her, Oswald." He almost laughed at the way Oswald's eyes bulged out. "And she loves me. So forgive me, 'old friend', that when the woman I love was in danger, I didn't stop to think how you might be inconvenienced if I did everything in my power to save her!"

Oswald sat there, sputtering. "You-and Dr. Young?" Then he recovered. "Have you lost your mind!? She works with GCPD!"

"As a consultant," Edward argued. "She's not under Gordon's thumb. I can't begin to count how many times she's circumvented Gordon to help me."

"And the fact that she was your doctor at Arkham doesn't raise any questions?"

Now it was Edward's turn to scoff. "Four years ago. And I don't recall a single session I had with her, so they may as well not have happened."

"Oh, isn't that convenient," Oswald muttered. "So regardless of the warning I gave you in July, you persisted because you're in love." Oswald shook his head. "What happened to your sense of self-preservation, Edward? You've just sent a signal to anyone and everyone that if they want you, all they need to do is even hint at endangering Dr. Young!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Edward argued. "Let her die?"

"Of course not," Oswald admitted. "But Edward, this is the third time you've endangered yourself on her behalf. You estranged yourself from Harley for her. Surely you must understand that whatever little romance you may have with her is more trouble than its worth!"

Edward slammed his hand on the desk, making Oswald startle. "Don't," he hissed. "Ever presume to tell me what I do or don't understand, Oswald."

Oswald's eyes narrowed. "Don't you take that tone with me, Edward," he said. "If you want to risk your life to be her knight in shining armor, that's your affair, but I warn you now, I will not put everything that I have built in jeopardy to clean up whatever messes you make!"

Edward darkly chuckled. "That's what it all comes down to, isn't it? Your self-interest. You can't even pretend to be happy for me without reminding me how inconvenient my happiness is for you!"

"Are you forgetting just who it was that got you out of that homeless shelter after you completed your rehabilitation?" Oswald thundered, standing up from his seat. "Who it was that loaned you the money that you needed to kickstart your business? It certainly wasn't Dr. Young!"

"Don't pretend that you didn't have your motives for doing all that Oswald," Edward said. "I know for a fact that we weren't friends before my coma." Edward saw Oswald's eyes widen and he smirked. "You think I didn't talk with the girls? I've known all along. So tell me, why exactly did you help me? Was it out of the kindness of your heart, or did you see an opportunity to exploit me? To have me in your debt so that I would serve as an information broker for you?"

"Edward," Oswald held his hands up placatingly, "I'll admit, my initial motives weren't pure, but I genuinely do see you as a friend-"

"Of course you do," Edward said, getting out of his chair. He was a good foot taller than Oswald, and he used his full height to his advantage as he loomed down over the proprietor of the Iceberg Lounge. "That's why you told me to just cut my daughter a check every month and wash my hands of her. That's why you're telling me that Penelope is more trouble than she's worth. Back in July, you told me that one day, I would have to decide where my loyalties lie. Well, I have, Ozzie. My loyalties are with Penelope and my daughter. Whatever I need to be to keep them safe and happy, that's what I'll be. And if anyone on this Earth presents as a threat to them, I will dispatch them, no matter who they are or what they might have been to me." Edward leaned down at Oswald. "Do I make myself clear?"

Oswald's eyes narrowed. "Was that a threat?"

"No," Edward said airily. "That was a promise. And you should know that I'm a man of my word." Edward turned on his heel and walked towards the office door.

"Edward!"

He turned around to see Oswald fixing him with a defiant glare. "Yes?"

"I also told you that you would have to be prepared for the consequences of your decision. "

Edward narrowed his eyes, then turned around, walking out of the office door and out of the Iceberg Lounge without a look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, I didn't mean to take so long to update. I apologize for the lapse and hope to get back on a more regular posting schedule.


	5. A Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long-awaited meeting happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the intended fifth chapter was getting too long, so I decided to split it. The second half should be out in a few days.

_3:30 pm_

Bruce, Joe, and Dr. Thompkins had left an hour ago, but Penelope had stayed in Joan's apartment, helping her straighten up after the others had left. The two of them were still sitting on her sofa, each sipping a cup of tea. "I know that you said that you were still committed to our work, Joan," Penelope said addressing her friend. "But are you sure that you're alright?"

Joan shook her head and took a long sip. "I'm not going to pretend that what happened last night didn't affect me," she said. "And I am going to be taking some personal time, but Leslie is right. Our work is now more important than it ever was." She gave Penelope a wry look. "And frankly, I feel like I should be asking you that. You were the one who was kidnapped and put next to a bomb. You need to take care of yourself."

Penelope took a long sip of her tea, the warmth of the liquid counteracting the chill that went through her as she remembered last night. She put her mug down and rubbed her shoulder. "I know, Joan. I know." 

Joan hummed and put her mug down on the coffee table. "Besides, you know that there's someone else we need to talk about."

Penelope nodded. She'd seen this coming the moment she'd confessed to her group. "Edward." She bit her bottom lip before she spoke. "Do you think I made a mistake, telling everyone about me and Edward?"

"No," Joan said immediately. "After how Edward behaved last night, there was no way we would have believed you if you'd tried to deny having a relationship with him." Joan smiled. "And I'm glad that you were honest with us. You know though, that I want details."

Penelope shook her head. "Of course. Well, after I spoke with Gordon and got checked out by the paramedics, I went home. Edward came by with roses a few hours later. He told me that he'd come to City Hall to tell me that he loved me. I told him that the feeling was mutual." She allowed a smile to come to her face as she remembered his confession, their first kiss, and how for a brief, shining moment, they were the only people in each other's world. "He spent the night at my apartment-" her face flushed. "Not in that way. He slept on the couch. We were going to spend this morning talking about our relationship and what it meant going forward, but then Gordon called." She let out a sigh. Gordon had called, and the reality of what had happened had set in. Penelope looked towards Joan, who had a thoughtful look on her face. "I know it's a complication, I know that the timing isn't great, I know the potential risks involved, but I love him, Joan. The only thing I want more than to stop Strange is to be with him."

Joan nodded. "To be perfectly honest," her friend said softly. "I've seen this coming since what happened with Victor Goodman. Edward doesn't risk his life for just anyone. And with everything that's happened between the two of you since then..." she trailed off, then gave Penelope a hard look. "Leslie does have a point, however. If it did become public knowledge that the two of you are together, that wouldn't just have negative consequences for your work and your reputation. It could make you a target for anyone who has a grudge against Edward."

"I'm aware of that," Penelope said, careful not to snap at her friend. "Edward and I did manage to talk a bit about it this morning. He knows that I want to keep our relationship as private as possible." 

Joan nodded, then she sighed. "There is one more thing," she said slowly as if she was afraid that what she would say would offend her. "Penelope, you and Edward have developed a habit for risking your lives for each other. I understand that what we're doing is inherently dangerous, but I don't want another situation like Bane. You both need to be careful not to take so many risks."

Penelope remembered watching Edward on the broadcast, how ardently he spoke to her in front of GCPD, how he promised he would always save her, and her heart clenched. "Believe me, that's another thing we're going to be talking about tonight." Penelope fixed her friend with a probing look. "Do you think I'm making a mistake, being with Edward?"

Joan's face immediately softened. "No," she said gently, grasping Penelope by the shoulder. "Penny, I'm your friend. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I don't have my share of concerns, but more than that, I can see that he makes you happy. You deserve to be happy, both of you."

Penelope smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Joan." Her eyes drifted to the clock hanging in Joan's living room and saw that it was 3:45. "Oh!" she said, grabbing her purse and getting to her feet. "I should get going, Edward's coming to my apartment at six, I need to get it ready, I need to get dinner ready..." She paused when she was halfway to the door and looked down at her dark grey slacks and white dress shirt. Suitable for a professional setting, but not at all for tonight. "I need to get ready-"

She was cut off by the sound of Joan chuckling. "Is this your first date?"

Penelope half-turned, saw the wry smile on her friend's face, and huffed. "Yes," she admitted. She shook her head. "I'm acting ridiculous."

"No, you're just over-thinking things a little," Joan teased, coming to meet her where she was standing in the hall that led to her front door. "You and Edward have that habit in common, I've noticed."

A small smile came to Penelope's face when a thought occurred to her. "Joan, mine and Edward's relationship...that's not going to cause any conflict of interest, is it?"

Joan's face grew serious. "That's a conversation I'm going to have to have with Edward, sooner rather than later." Penelope's face must have shown her concern, for Joan's face softened and she reached out to touch Penelope's shoulder. "Don't worry about it Penelope," she soothed. "Enjoy your time with him tonight. Given what's happened and the work ahead of us, we need to find happiness where we can."

Penelope smiled again and embraced her friend. "Thank you," she said sincerely. She pulled away and walked to the coat rack to get her winter coat before walking towards Joan's front door. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Monday," Joan said. "And give Edward my regards."

"I will. Bye." Penelope gave her a small wave, then walked out the door. She walked briskly towards the elevator, her heart pounding with every step she took. She had a list of tasks before her, and not much time to complete them before Edward came by. It would be fine, she assured herself as she rushed into the elevator. She and Edward would update each other, they'd have their talk, they'd have dinner and afterward... afterward...

Penelope felt the blood rush to her face as she thought about what may happen afterward, of what she wanted to happen at least. She was a woman who had always known what she wanted in life, and right now, she wanted _him._

* * *

_4:30 pm_

With everything that had happened, it was easy for Selina to forget that only two days had passed since the Joker had escaped and the Gotham City Sirens had fallen apart. She sat alone in her living room, trying not to let the silence in the remodeled shelter get to her. She'd need to downsize, sooner or later. No need for this much space if she was going to be alone again. She took a sip of water, leaned her head back against the couch cushions, and shut her eyes, hoping the headache medication she'd taken would kick in quick. Eddie's heroics last night may have bolstered his reputation amongst Gotham citizens at large, but it was already causing all kinds of havoc on the other side of the law. Eddie himself had told her what had happened at the Iceberg Lounge an hour ago. Selina pinched the bridge of her nose. She was proud of Eddie, really, and she was happy that he'd finally pulled his head out of his ass regarding Doc, but he was so punch drunk that he wasn't seeing the bigger picture just yet. Hopefully, Doc could knock him out of it. If she couldn't Selina would have to do it.

Her eyes opened at the sound of her phone ringing. Selina picked it up from the coffee table without looking at the number. "Hello?" she asked wearily.

_"It's me."_

Selina let out a small sigh. "Hey, Bruce."

_"You sound tired. Long day?"_

She let out a strained chuckle. "You could say that. Not as long as yours though, I imagine. Did you get any sleep last night?"

 _"I managed_ ," came his curt reply. _"I spoke with Dr. Young's group and Commissioner Gordon today. They both confirmed that the men who carried out the attacks last night were patients that Hugo Strange released from Arkham."_

"That son of a bitch," Selina growled. "Tell me you're going to make him pay for it."

 _"I will,"_ Bruce answered, and Selina could hear just how angry he was. _"Have you spoken to Edward today?"_

"Got off the phone with him half an hour ago as a matter of fact. He and Doc are together now, which I'm sure you already know." Selina wet her bottom lip. "He and Ozzie got into it today over her and what Eddie did last night. Ozzie told Eddie that Doc was more trouble than she was worth, and Eddie threatened him over it." Ozzie might claim to be Eddie's friend now, but there were times he showed just how little he truly knew him.

_"Is Cobblepot going to cut him loose?"_

"I don't know," Selina answered. "I'm thinking about dropping in on the Iceberg Lounge tonight and asking. Even if he doesn't though, Eddie's pissed. It might be a while before he trusts him again, which isn't good. Eddie can't afford to be losing allies right now."

 _"No, he can't."_ There was a pause as if Bruce was considering what he was saying. _"I'm going to talk to Edward tonight about collaborating."_

Selina's mouth dropped open before a pleased smile came to her face. "About time," she said. She double-checked the clock. "You better do it soon though. Eddie's got a date with Doc at six tonight, and he'll pitch a fit if you come into her apartment."

_"Noted. I'm on my way to his apartment now. I'll call you later tonight."_

"Good luck, Bruce." Selina disconnected at the same time Bruce did. She leaned her head upwards to look at the ceiling. She knew just how resentful of Bruce Eddie was, and how much Bruce still mistrusted Eddie. If the two of them could put everything aside, just for a moment, if they could forget the past fifteen years of their lives and work together...She laughed. Strange would never know what hit him.

* * *

_5:00 pm_

After his call with Selina, Edward was still irritated, so he put his energy towards a far more agreeable pastime: calling his daughter. "So here's what I was thinking," he said, pacing about his living room with a glass of water in one hand and his cell phone up to his ear in the other. "Between the Joker's escape and the attacks last night, we could do with getting out of Gotham City for a bit. There's a boutique center on the mainland that I haven't been to in a long time. There's some nice restaurants, an old-fashioned arcade-"

 _"Wait, Sheltered Pines?"_ Ellen's voice cut in excitedly. _"I know that place! Gramma took me and my friends there about a year ago! There's a bunch of cool retro stuff!"_

Edward smiled indulgently. "Then you approve. Good." He took a sip of water before he asked her the next question. "Your grandmother won't object to me taking you out for the afternoon, will she?"

_"Gramma's gonna be at the hospital all day again. As long as I'm back by dinner, she'll be ok."_

Edward nodded. "Good." If he could pick Ellen up and drop her off without having to deal with the old battle-ax, so much the better. He put his now empty glass on the dining room table before he rubbed the back of his head. "There was one more thing I wanted to run by you. Would you mind if Penelope accompanied us?"

 _"No, that's fine."_ Edward heard Ellen take in a breath. _"Dad, no offense, but she's not going to be coming with us all the time, is she?"_

"No, sweetheart," Edward reassured her. "Penelope and I are together now, but that doesn't mean we'll be attached at the hip. You and I will still be getting plenty of one on one time, don't you worry."

 _"I'm not worried,"_ Ellen said, in far too relieved a manner to be true. _"And I like her, I really do. I just don't want to have to watch you be all romantic and disgusting when we're out together."_

"Har har," Edward said, rolling his eyes. It never failed, every time Ellen found it in her to be sweet and vulnerable, she had to immediately remind him of how much of a hellion she was. "I'm going to remember this when you bring home your first girlfriend." He checked his watch. 5:05. "Well, I need to get going. I'll text you when I have a better sense of our schedule, but for now, plan on me and Penelope coming between ten and eleven tomorrow morning. Will you be ready by then?"

_"Oh yeah. I'm still kind of wiped, so I'm gonna go to bed early tonight. I'll be ready."_

"Good girl," Edward said. "Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."

 _"See you then, Dad."_ Ellen then spoke in a teasing, sing-song voice. _"Have fun on your daaate!"_

"Goodbye, Ellen," Edward huffed, hanging up. Nina and Deirdre were beginning to rub off on that girl too much. He put his phone down on the table and rushed to his bedroom. 

Twenty minutes later, he stood in front of his bathroom mirror, scrutinizing every detail of his appearance. He'd changed out of his Riddleresque getup in favor of black dress slacks, and a royal purple silk shirt. It didn't bring out his eyes the way his green shirt did, but the color was striking nonetheless. He'd put fresh gel in his hair, combing it back until not a lock was out of place. He'd brushed his teeth, gargled with mouthwash, and put on his best cologne. He examined reflection, looking for any missed imperfection and finding none. "Edward old boy," he said with a smirk. "You do clean up nicely." His eyes drifted down to the buttons on his shirt. He undid them, one by one, until his patch of red chest hair was visible. Maybe he ought to show up like this, give his darling doctor a preview...he frowned. He could just imagine her looking at him with a raised eyebrow if she didn't laugh. He was no Fabio. He buttoned his shirt back up, leaving the top button out, exposing his collar. That would have to do. He checked his watch. 5:25. Time to go. He grabbed his glasses where he'd left them on the bathroom counter and briskly walked out of his bedroom, not pausing to look at the framed picture of Jonathan on his bedside table.

In the living room, he opened the closet and pulled out his best dress shoes, as well as his coat. It would take him about twenty minutes to get to Penny's apartment, which left him plenty of time to stop by a drugstore and pick up certain...necessities. He felt a certain spring in his step. Maybe it was a bit presumptuous, but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Once his shoes and coat were on, a thought occurred to him. Depending on how the night went, he may be spending the night at her place. He was going to need a change of clothes. He rushed back into his bedroom, pulled an overnight bag out of his bedroom closet, and hastily packed a set of casual clothing. He came back out to the living room, bag in hand, and set it on the dining room table next to his phone. Did he have everything? He snapped his fingers. Wine! He rushed to his kitchen pantry and looked up towards the top shelf, looking for the expensive vintage red wine that Oswald had given him. A dark smirk came over his face as he pulled down the last full bottle. Perfect. Penny was more trouble than she was worth? Screw you, Oswald. He had closed the pantry door when he felt the chill. The breeze coming through his kitchen window, no doubt-

_The kitchen window that he hadn't opened._

Edward whirled around, then jumped. "Jesus!" he shouted. He almost dropped the wine bottle before he recovered, putting a hand over his heart. Then he glared at the familiar dark shape making his way into his apartment. "Could you," he hissed, "For once, _just once_ , come in through my front door like a civilized human being!?"

Batman stopped at the kitchen table, looking unconcerned as always. "Edward," he rasped. "We need to talk."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Do we?" He huffed, putting the wine bottle down on the floor, lest he was tempted to throw it at the Dark Knight. "I suppose we do, don't we? Well, make it quick, I have somewhere I need to be."

Batman stood still, not acknowledging Edward's words, as he usually did. "I've seen the news coverage of what you did last night."

Edward folded his arms across his chest and chuckled. "Gotham's press corp can't seem to get enough me. I'm a hero now." He let out a short, self-satisfied laugh. "Did you come by to check up on your competition?"

"I know that Strange intended to frame you for the attacks," Batman continued. "And I know that you had a disagreement with Oswald Cobblepot regarding what you did last night." Edward had to force himself to keep his mouth closed. In hindsight, perhaps he shouldn't have told Selina about his fight with Oswald, but then again, she was bound to find out sooner or later. "There are many people who owe you their lives Edward," he heard Batman say and he was struck by how...sincere the man sounded. Then Batman spoke again in a harsh tone, "but we both know that it's only a matter of time until Strange comes after you again. And if how Cobblepot reacted is any indication, he won't be the only one."

Edward sucked in a quick breath between his teeth. "If you've come to tell me to back off of my investigation again, then you can see yourself out. I have no intention of-"

"I wasn't going to say that," Batman interrupted, much to Edward's irritation. The vigilante's jaw was clenched as if he was about to say something painful. "Strange needs to be stopped before he gets anyone else killed, but whatever he's working towards is bigger than you, Edward. It's bigger than both of us." Batman took a step closer towards him, and Edward's body tensed ready for the blows it remembered that his mind didn't. Batman stood still, his face an impassive rock. "We need to work together."

Edward blinked. Then he threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, now you want to work together?" he said in between laughs. "After I've become the toast of the town, now you condescend to work with me?" Edward finished laughing, then narrowed his eyes at Batman. "Where was this offer when Strange used Tetch to try to throw me back into Arkham? When his brownshirts tried to murder my daughter's friend, sicced Bane on Dr. Young, or when Strange had me dragged back into Arkham to goad me to relapse? What precisely, has changed? Did my actions last night finally convince you that my Riddler days are behind me, or do you think that I've been sufficiently tamed?" Edward stepped forward, his finger jabbing at Batman's Kevlar chest. "If you think I'm going to step aside and let you control me-"

"You need to see the bigger picture, Edward," Batman growled. "Strange has been using Sharp as a puppet to influence policy in Gotham City. He's all but taken over Arkham Asylum and committed atrocities against the patients under his care. He influences Blackgate penitentiary. In less than two years, he's managed to infect almost every civil and criminal authority in Gotham City, and now he's used that influence to kill over two hundred people." Batman narrowed his eyes and seemed to stare directly into Edward's soul. "I watched your interview in August with Vicki Vale. If you were at all serious about trying to be a better man than you cannot let whatever feelings you have about me get in the way of taking Strange down."

Edward stared at Batman for a long moment, every fragment of memory coming to the front of his mind. The games, the beatings, the obsession, waking alone in a hospital, everything and everyone in his old life gone, the watchful eyes that dogged his every step since he walked out of rehabilitation, the suspicion, the threats spoken and unspoken, the feel of his hand on his shoulder holding him back, but then letting him go. "You've had a hand in almost every terrible thing that's happened to me in the past five years," Edward said. "How can you possibly expect me to trust you?"

Batman's facial expression didn't change but his posture softened, just a hair. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret your coma, or what happened to Jonathan Crane. Whatever you might think, I've never hated you or wanted you to suffer."

Edward said nothing for a long time as he considered the vigilante and grudgingly realized that he was telling the truth. "Well," he said at long last. "That's reassuring, but I think the news broadcasts have proven that I can take care of myself just fine. No need to trouble yourself on my account."

"If you hadn't decided to go to City Hall last night, you would be in Arkham right now," Batman said flatly. He raised a gloved hand just as Edward furiously opened his mouth to speak. "I'm not trying to diminish what you did, but you've only been able to escape the traps that Strange has set up for you by the slimmest of chances. Next time, you might not be so lucky. Think about Dr. Young. Think about your daughter. If you're gone, who will look after them?"

"Do not," Edward half-shouted, half-spat, "Use my girls against me!" Edward took a breath and gave him a level glare. "I can look after myself and them without your help. I've been doing it well so far, and whatever Strange comes up with next, I'll beat that too. I don't need or want your help." Edward leaned down to pick the wine bottle back up. "Now if you don't mind, I have a date."

Batman just stared at him. "I'll be back in three days," he said, half-turning to the window he'd entered from. "Think carefully about what I told you." Batman then crossed the small kitchen back to the window and dove out as quietly as he'd come in. Edward rushed after him, ready to yell, and watched him as he flew off into the Gotham sky. The sun was low in the sky and lights were beginning to come on. Edward shook his head as he shut the window. Unbelievable, but then, when had Batman ever taken no for an answer. 'Work with him'. Perhaps years ago, back when he'd seen the man as a worthy adversary instead of an enemy, but now? He was dreaming. Edward had gotten far in the investigation without any assistance whatsoever from that so-called hero, no matter what he said. He didn't need Batman. The only partner he needed and wanted was waiting for him. Edward walked to the dining room table, set the wine bottle down, picked up his phone, and checked the time. 5:45. He cringed, then began texting Penny. 

_I'm going to be a little late. Something came up._

Penny's response was almost instantaneous. _That's fine. Is everything alright?_

Edward sighed, then texted, _I'll tell you when I get there. I'll see you soon._ He then put his phone in his coat pocket and gathered up his belongings. 'Back in three days...' Edward shook his head. He wouldn't let Batman spoil his night with his darling. Putting the Dark Knight out of mind, Edward walked towards his front door whistling a jaunty tune.


	6. Consummation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything that has happened has led up to this moment.

It was 6:15 by the time Edward arrived at Penny's apartment, much to his annoyance. He left his overnight bag in the backseat of his car and rushed into the front door of the brownstone. He wasn't one who believed in omens or superstitious nonsense like that, but showing up fifteen minutes late for their first date was not the note he wanted to start their relationship on. He walked briskly out of the elevator as soon as the door opened onto Penny's floor, wine bottle in hand. He'd thought about getting her more flowers as an apology for being late, but he'd be damned if he showed up at her door with the pathetic excuse for roses that were on display at his local drug store. Finally, he reached the door of her apartment, paused, and took a breath, steeling his nerves. What did he have to be nervous about? He'd already told her he loved her, that was the difficult part. Shaking his head, he briskly knocked on the door. _"It's unlocked! Come in!"_ he heard Penny call out. Edward smiled upon hearing her voice and let himself in.

The lights in her apartment were somewhat dimmed, bright enough to see, but low enough that he could take his glasses off and not have to worry about having a headache. Edward did just that, plucking his glasses off and placing them in his coat pocket. The apartment layout was just the same as it had been this morning, though it looked as if Penny had done some quick cleaning before he'd arrived. The furniture was perfectly arranged, the roses he'd bought for her still in their vase on her dining room table. It was a very cozy scene, he thought. There was just one rather important thing missing. "Penny?" he called out, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm in the kitchen, I'll be right out."

Edward turned to his left with a smile on his face. "Good evening, my dear..." then he saw her emerge from her kitchen and he nearly dropped the wine bottle. "Doctor!" he half-whispered, stunned. She looked, for lack of a better word, incredible. She was wearing a sleeveless black cocktail dress that stopped just above her knees, accentuating her figure nicely. It was more modest than anything Selina owned, but it was the most revealing outfit by far he had ever seen her in. Her hair was down, perfectly wavy. She was always minimalistic with her makeup and that was true now, for the only makeup she wore was ruby red lipstick and smoky dark mascara, which made her eyes seem an even brighter shade of blue. _I think I'm staring at Helen of Troy._ He realized that he must look like a slack-jawed fool.

"Hi, Eddie," she greeted him with a pleased smile on her face. She approached him, seemingly oblivious to the effect her appearance had on him, and gestured to the wine bottle in his hands. "Would you like me to take that?"

"I..." _For God's sake, pull yourself together Edward._ He handed the wine bottle over to her. "So," he said now that he'd picked his jaw up off the floor. "How long have you been hiding that little number away?"

Penny looked down at her dress. "This?" she asked. "I think the last time I wore it was for a gala the Arkham Board hosted maybe...three years ago?" She looked back up at him and smirked. "Do you like it?" she asked in a satisfied tone and no, perhaps she wasn't as oblivious to her effect on him as he thought.

Edward chuckled. "Do I like it?" he repeated, placing his hands on her waist. "Darling, why would you ask me a question you know the answer to?" 

Penny leaned up to give him a quick kiss before turning on her heel and placing the wine bottle on the dining room table next to the vase. "Make yourself comfortable," she said as she headed back toward her kitchen. "I'll just get some glasses."

Edward nodded, taking off his coat and hanging it up on the coatrack by Penny's front door. He looked over his shoulder to make sure she was distracted before he quickly patted the right pocket of his slacks. The pocket that had the three condoms he'd pulled from the box he'd bought on his way here. Oh, but he hoped he'd get to use one tonight. Or two. Maybe all three, if he was very lucky. Penny emerged from her kitchen again, holding two wine glasses in her hand, and walked back to her dining room table. Edward followed her, then, as she was pouring a glass of wine, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck. "I missed you today," he murmured into her hair. After his encounters with Oswald and Batman, he needed her presence. 

He felt her shaking her head. "You saw me a few hours ago."

Edward pouted. "A few _long_ hours ago," he mock-whined. "Doesn't a man have the right to yearn for his beloved?"

This got a short laugh out of Penny. "You're impossible." 

"You love me," Edward sassed.

Penny had finished pouring both glasses of wine and turned herself around, her hands reaching up to cup the back of Edward's neck. "I do," she said, leaning in again. Edward leaned down and they shared a deeper kiss. Edward shut his eyes again and happily sighed. All too soon, Penny pulled away again, which made him want to pout some more. She handed him his wine glass before taking his hand and pulling him towards her couch. "I'm making bolognese. I hope that's alright."

"Perfect," Edward said. Frankly, after that kiss, he was ready to skip dinner and go directly to dessert. He sat down next to her on the couch and clinked his glass against hers. "Alone at last," he offered as a toast before taking a sip. Oswald might be a self-serving bastard, but he did have some damn good taste in wine. He watched as Penny took a sip, as she visibly enjoyed the taste of the wine. He drank every small movement of hers in, searing them into his brain. "So," he found himself asking. "How did things go with your group today?"

Penny's face lit up. "Better than I expected." She put her glass down and placed her hand on his knee. "Joan and a few others are going to take personal time after what happened last night, but everyone's still in."

Edward grinned, then chuckled. "Well, I told you so," he said. "So what's the plan going forward?"

"We agreed that our focus should be on challenging whatever narrative Sharp and Strange put out about the attack." Penelope hesitated for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "I told them that I've been working with you for the past year. I also told them that we were together now. Is that alright?"

Edward shrugged. "Well, after what they saw me do last night, there wasn't much point in keeping it a secret. And you said yourself you wanted to tell Dr. Leland anyway." That and he didn't mind Bruce Wayne knowing that Penny was off the market. "You didn't get any pushback from them, did you?"

Penny shook her head. "Dr. Thompkins had a few pointed questions, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Everyone else was accepting enough. To be fair, they already suspected most of it." She looked back at him. "How did your day go after you left GCPD?"

"Eventful," Edward answered. He took another sip of wine before he put his glass on the coffee table. "You'll be happy to know I've scheduled an interview for Monday morning with Vicki Vale. I also spoke to Nina and Deirdre, made plans with Ellen for tomorrow..." he thought again about his conversation with Oswald and he reflexively scowled.

"What?" Penny asked.

Edward sighed. "Oswald and I had a...disagreement today about what I did last night."

"What kind of disagreement?"

Edward tapped his fingers on the coffee table, thinking of how to phrase this in a way that didn't offend her. "He asked me why I attacked the gunman. I told him I did it to save you. He then outright stated that you were more trouble than you were worth." He watched as her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open and quickly took her hands into his own. "You aren't. I wouldn't take back anything I did last night if he held me at gunpoint. I'll do whatever I need to do to keep you and Ellen happy and safe, even if it means going against Oswald. I told him as much."

A small smile appeared on Penny's face, though her eyes remained worried. Her smile fell as she squeezed his hands. "I never wanted to come between you and your friends," she said softly. "This isn't going to cause any trouble for you, is it?"

"Oh, Oswald's just hot air. Sharp's crackdown on street crime has been hurting his bottom line the same as everyone else. Worst case scenario, he might withdraw some men from me, but he certainly won't help Sharp and Strange. Losing Oswald's support may be difficult, but it's survivable." He reached a hand up to cup Penny's face. "And you haven't done anything to come between me and my friends. If Oswald can't accept you in my life, that's his problem."

Penny didn't look entirely convinced, but she slowly nodded. "Was that what came up earlier?"

Edward frowned. "No, what happened before I came over was..." he reluctantly withdrew his hand from her face to take another sip of wine. He needed a drink to recount this. "Batman stopped by my apartment just before I was about to head over."

Penny's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Batman? What did he want?"

Edward put his glass back down. "At first, the usual scolding. Strange would come after me again, things were going to get more dangerous, but then," he scoffed, shaking his head at the memory of the encounter, at the Dark Knight's presumptuousness. "He suggested that we work together on the Strange business."

The surprise on Penny's face was replaced by a calculating look. "What did you say?"

"That I didn't want or need his help," Edward said. He huffed. "Naturally, he didn't listen to me. He said he'd give me three days to think about it. Some gall. Not six months ago, he told me to back off the case for my own good, and now he wants to work with me? If he thinks he can strong-arm me into becoming his assistant, then he's the delusional one." He looked at Penny, expecting her to agree with him, only to see that she had a thoughtful expression on her face. "What?"

Penny picked up her glass and took another sip of wine, clearly mulling over her words. She put her glass down and let out a sigh. "Edward," she said slowly. "I think you should consider Batman's offer."

Edward blinked. Had he heard her correctly? "Consider his offer? Why should I?"

His lover sucked in a quick breath before she continued. "Over two hundred people were killed last night. Sharp's already laying the groundwork to make Gordon a scapegoat, and you said yourself that Strange's goal is to make Batman redundant. He's going to be involved now no matter what if he hasn't already been, which is going to bring the two of you into contact. Fighting with Batman instead of coming to some kind of agreement is just the distraction that Strange wants. Then there are the practical considerations: Batman has resources and connections that we don't. We've been able to come a long way on our own, but think of how much more we could do if we were able to tap into his network. If Cobblepot does decide to withdraw his support from you, Batman could more than makeup for it."

He hated to admit it, but Penny was making a few good points. Edward frowned. There was one important fact that she seemed to be ignoring. "Batman may be talking about collaborating, but the man's a control freak. If he comes into our investigation, he's going to want to take it over completely. I won't take orders from him."

"And I'm not saying you should," Penny clarified. "I know firsthand how controlling he is." A shadow seemed to pass over her face, but she quickly shook it off. "The two of you have collaborated before though, haven't you?"

"Reluctantly," Edward grounded out. They had on Goodman, and on a few other minor things he couldn't recall, but that had been before the coma, before Jonathan. "He doesn't trust me. He never has. Why is now any different?"

Penny didn't say anything for a long moment, running a hand through her hair. "On the clip that's been playing on the news," she said finally. "You seemed to be arguing with Batman over something. What was that about?"

Edward sighed. "I wanted to go find you. Batman didn't want to let me. I had to beg him to let me go." His gorge rose a bit at that memory. "Finally, he told me to get the people inside City Hall and then go get you and he was off to get the other gunman."

Penny hummed, slowly nodding. Her face was impassive. "As soon as he left, you could have just run off after me and ignored the crowd outside City Hall."

"And leave Dr. Leland to die?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow. "You know I wouldn't have done that!"

"I do, but Batman didn't," she argued. "For all he knew, you could have just left. He could have figured out a way to open the doors, but he left that to you, even though he had no way of knowing that you would. And even though he didn't want to, he let you go find me."

He saw what she was getting at, but that didn't mean he had to make it easy for her. "Of course he did. He wouldn't want your death on his conscience after all."

Penny let out a small irritated noise. "I'm sure that was part of it, but indulge me: what if, him leaving you to save the people outside City Hall, him letting you run after me, even though he didn't want to leave you alone, what if, that was him holding out an olive branch? What if, that was him deciding to trust you?"

Edward rubbed his chin, his brow furrowed. It...did explain Batman's behavior last night, and why he hadn't read him the Riot Act this evening. He shook his head quickly. "Perhaps you're right, but that still doesn't mean I want to work with him. After everything that's happened between us...I don't know if I can get past it, Penny."

She sighed, then reached out to gently touch his shoulder. "I realize that, Eddie," she said softly. "But who do you think is the greater danger to us: Batman or Strange?" Edward had no answer for her. "I can't tell you what to do, but will you at least consider it?"

Edward looked into her beseeching, bewitching blue eyes and bit back a curse. The things he did for this woman..."I'll think about it."

Penny kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear, and he all but shuddered. She knew exactly what she did to him, the little minx.

Edward crossed his arms across his chest. "Well, that's about all the time I want to spend on Batman this evening," he said. He found it in him to smirk at her. "I do believe this is supposed to be a date."

A smile spread across Penny's face. "Of course." She got up off the couch and headed towards her kitchen. "I should go check on the sauce and start boiling the water for the pasta."

Edward got up to follow her. "Allow me to help."

"That's really not-"

Edward held up a finger. "Ah-ah-ah! You wouldn't allow me to wait on you when you were a guest, I won't allow you to wait on me." He laughed out loud at the cross look on her face before he leaned in to give her a quick peck. She let out a small laugh of her own and gestured for him to follow her, which he happily did.

* * *

Professor Strange sat at the head of the round conference table, scanning the shellshocked faces of the members of the Arkham Board who could bring themselves to come to the meeting. Robin Patton, the board chair, could not meet his gaze, rather staring down at the smooth surface, her fists clenched in front of her. Nicole Jefferson, the secretary, was openly weeping. Strange wanted to laugh at such weakness but kept his face still. "The Mayor has called for an investigation into the release of the patients who carried out the attacks last night," he said, his deep baritone echoing off the walls. "I'm sure you all recall the meeting we had before the patients were released. I will be forced to turn over the minutes of that meeting. The record will show that I objected to the releases, but that _you_ ," he emphasized, "forced my hand." He fell silent, allowing his words to sink in. Some of the faces of the junior board members paled, others turned green. Patton, however, finally looked up from the table, fire in her eyes.

"You _knew_ ," she hissed. "You son of a bitch, you knew this would happen! You set us up!"

Strange gave her a smile that was all teeth. "That is a dangerous accusation to make, Ms. Patton. What evidence do you have to support it?"

"You picked the patients, you had to have known what they'd do," Patton continued, her voice tinged with hysteria. She turned frantically to the other board members. "He's been manipulating us all along! Can't any of you see that!?" None of the others said a word or even acknowledged her. Patton turned her attention back to Strange, getting out of her seat and pointing a finger at him. "You're not going to get away with it," she raved. "The patient releases, your experiments, any of it! I'll go to the media, I'll go to Gordon, I'll even go to Nigma-"

"You are hysterical," Strange said, cutting her off. "Understandable, given the situation that lies before you. I will see that one of the doctors gives you a sedative-"

"No!" Patton screamed, jumping back. "You won't put that poison in me! I won't let you!" She grabbed her purse and all but flew from the room, much to the shock of the other members.

Strange clucked his tongue. "Poor woman. I will see that Arkham security ensures she gets home safely." He turned his piercing gaze to the other board members, who shrank in their seats before it. "As for all of you," he said. "You face two options: resign now, and save yourselves the scrutiny of Gotham City at large, or stay and watch as your reputations and livelihoods are dragged into the abyss. Resignation may be humiliating, but it will be nothing compared to the outrage of the Gotham public."

Silence hung over the board members until one spoke. "But...the asylum...how will it function without a board?"

Strange smiled. "You have never cared about the runnings of Arkham Asylum before. Why should you start now?"

A silent resignation came over the board members, and Strange felt triumph bubbling in his chest. He had the fools now. Nigma may have escaped his trap, but no amount of fawning the fool was receiving could prevent this. Tonight was the beginning of the realization of his dream.

* * *

The last two hours seemed to fly by for Edward. After dinner, he had insisted on helping Penny with the dishes, then the two had relocated back to her couch, sipping wine and talking about everything from their cooking styles to the alternative rock albums on her shelf, how insufferable Jack Ryder was, to the outing Edward had planned for tomorrow. "...I think it would be good for us to get out of the City for a few hours before the game starts again Monday. You, me, and Ellen. What do you think?"

Penny swirled her wine glass a bit before taking a sip. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, which made her even more gorgeous in Edward's eyes. "Would Ellen be alright with me tagging along? I don't want her to feel like I'm forcing myself on her."

"She was fine with it when I spoke to her earlier," Edward said. "Ellen's very honest with me, believe me, if she wasn't alright, she'd let me know."

Penny smiled then. "Well then, I think I'd love to."

Edward smiled wide. "Excellent!"

Penny took one last sip, emptying her glass before she set it down on the coffee table and fixed him with a serious look. "That being said, there is something we still need to take care of."

Edward nodded. "Ah, yes. 'The talk.'" He put his own glass down and gestured toward her. "Well, you have the floor."

"Right." Penny took a breath. "I'm almost glad it took until now for us to have this discussion," she said. "It helped me figure out exactly what I wanted to say." She folded her hands in front of her. "To start with," she spoke in a clear, precise tone. "I'm not looking for this to be a fling, or anything casual. I want this to be a serious, committed relationship."

"Agreed," Edward said. "I can count in the low single digits the number of people I've genuinely loved. You are part of a very elite club. As long as you want me, I'm completely yours."

She smiled briefly before she continued. "Good. Secondly, my work is important to me, but I will do my very best to be an emotionally supportive partner for you." She raised a finger. "I will not, however, be a substitute for a therapist. I expect the same amount of effort from you."

"And you'll get it," he agreed. "However, let me throw in my own requirement: while I happen to think that your ambition is one of your more attractive qualities, I won't stand for being neglected. I understand that we can't exactly be open about our relationship, but I'm still going to be your boyfriend and I want to be treated as such."

"Done," she nodded. "Continuing from my second point, I want you to continue your treatment plan with Joan." He opened his mouth to argue that he had when she put her hand over his. "I know that you've made a lot of progress, and I'm very proud of you for it, but this situation with Strange could bring us to the breaking point. You need to take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Not just for my sake, but for Ellen, for Selina, Nina and Deirdre, and most of all, yourself."

"I was going to do that anyway," Edward groused. "And I'll have you know Dr. Leland thinks I can start to be weaned off my medication by the end of the year, or at least she did the last session. What else do you have?"

Penny looked down at her lap for a moment. When she looked back up, there was an almost mournful look in her eyes. "I know that given who you are and what we're doing, that there's no way to stay completely safe. And I realize that there may be times when you'll need to cross certain lines to accomplish our goals, or to protect us." She took hold of his hand, squeezing it tight. "I want you to promise me though, that you'll be as careful as you can be. Don't take any unnecessary risks, and keep me in the loop about what you're doing." She let out a little sigh. "I am," she said, "Fiercely proud of what you did last night, but I think the most frightened I've ever been was when I watched you disarm that bomb. I know that you said that you would always save me, but I don't want that to be at the expense of your life."

Edward brought her hand up to his mouth and gently kissed it. "Well, it certainly isn't my intent to die anytime soon," he quipped. Her brows furrowed in annoyance, and he quickly said, "I promise, I'll be as careful as I can." Then let go of her hand and held a finger up in mock admonishment. "But that goes for you as well, my dear doctor. The next time Bruce Wayne gets it into his head to run off and be a hero, let him go."

Penny let out an annoyed huff but nodded just the same. "I think that's all I had," she said. "Was there anything you wanted to add?"

"Just three things," Edward said. "Number one: while I will endeavor to be the best boyfriend I can be, I'm not going to overhaul my personality. I like being me. You get me, you get my quirks." He chuckled. "Besides, you must like me well enough as I am, if I'm sitting on your couch tonight."

Penny snorted a bit. "I must," she said. "But that's fair. All I ask is that you behave yourself and try to be civil with Aaron."

Edward nodded. "Number two: while I utterly adore you, you are not without fault. I've noticed that you have an unfortunate tendency to bottle everything in and not always tell me what's on your mind." He waved his finger again. "It should not have taken Joker escaping for you to tell me you were in love with me."

Penny sighed. "No, it shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

He picked her hand back up and kissed it again. "I'm not at all upset. I just ask that going forward, you be a bit more open with me. If I don't know what's wrong, how can I fix it?" Penny nodded. "Finally, number three..." Edward wet his lip. "I don't think this will be much of an issue," he said carefully. "But there may be times where I need to prioritize Ellen. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

"Of course not," Penny said immediately. "Ellen's your daughter. Frankly, I'd be more bothered if you didn't prioritize her. Although, speaking of Ellen..." she trailed off before she spoke up. "I care about her of course, and I want the two of us to have some kind of relationship, but I don't know that I'm ready to take on any sort of maternal role."

"And I'll never ask you to," Edward said. "And to be honest, I doubt Ellen will. She has her grandmother for that. All I ask is that the two of you get along. What exact relationship you have, you can sort out yourselves. You're both intelligent, capable women." He slapped his hands against his knees. "Well, that's all I had. Was there anything else?"

"No," Penny answered with a smile. "That's all."

Edward let a wide smile come to his face. "So then, am I, Edward Nigma, officially your boyfriend?"

Penny scoffed but placed her hands against his chest all the same. "You are."

"Well then," Edward said, his eyes going straight to her lips. "I think it's time to seal the deal." He leaned in and she met him immediately with a kiss. Edward reached his hand to cup the back of her head, stroking her hair and pulling her in deeper. Gradually, their kisses became more heated and Edward felt himself drifting backward onto her couch, pulling Penny on top of him. She lay flush against him, pressing open-mouthed kisses against his neck and collar before moving back to his lips. Edward let out a low moan as his hands moved down her shoulders, to her back, then lower-

Penny abruptly pulled up, and Edward thought he might have gone too far, until he saw the flush on her cheeks, how darkened her eyes had become. It was a look he'd recognize anywhere. Penny smirked at him, and the sight of it sent the blood racing downwards. Here she was, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and she was all his. He watched as her fingers moved back to his shirt, slowly unbuttoning it and she ducked her head down, kissing the newly exposed skin. Edward let out a gasp and she looked up at him. "Are you alright?" she asked in a low tone.

Edward let out a strangled laugh. "Am I alright?" he repeated incredulously. "My dear Dr. Young," he cooed. "I think you're trying to seduce me."

"Is it working?"

Christ, but this woman would be the death of him. "Darling, why do you insist on asking me questions you already know the answers to?"

She smiled again, pushed herself off of him, and off the couch, getting to her feet. She pulled off her black shoes and looked ready to go back towards her bedroom when a question came over her face. "Do you have-"

Edward pulled a condom from his slacks. "But of course." Penny nodded in relief, then beckoned Edward to follow her with a crook of her finger, something he was too happy to do. All the while he followed her, Edward could barely keep himself from shouting for joy. _Oh, thank you, God, yes._ Her bedroom was lit, at the same low level as the rest of Penny's apartment. Edward immediately made his way to the left side of her large bed, taking off his dress shoes and neatly putting them by the side of the bed. He moved to finish unbuttoning his shirt, then thought of doing it slowly, to give his darling a little show. He looked over his shoulder only to see that Penny had unzipped the back of her dress, letting the garment fall to the floor. She stepped out of it and towards him, clad now only in her black lingerie. Edward yanked his shirt off in a hurry, then pulled a condom out of his pocket and put it on the bed before tearing off his belt and his pants. 

He looked back towards her when he heard the sound of her laughter. Her face was flushed, whether that was from the wine or amusement, or arousal, or all of the above he didn't know and didn't care. "Sit down, Eddie," she said, and he obeyed, taking a seat on her bed and watching as she advanced towards him. If she was nervous, she didn't show it. She had every appearance of a woman who knew exactly what she wanted, and he loved her for it. She sank onto his lap and immediately wrapped her arms around him, her hands slowly exploring every inch of his bare chest, every scar before she began to kiss him again. Edward wanted to throw her down onto the bed and ravish her, but no. He would do this right. He returned her kisses, then moved his lips to her neck while running his hands down her side. She let out a small gasp when his hands cupped her breasts, something he filed away. He peppered kisses down her chest, reaching around her to unclasp her bra. He got it undone in one try, much to his delight, and gently pulled the garment off of her, dropping it to the floor. He then proceeded to lay her down onto her back, his mouth roving over her bare, soft skin. He half-wanted to draw it out, figure out every little spot on her body that would make her gasp and moan. Her breasts were sensitive, he noticed, as was her stomach. He kissed his way down her body, delighting in the little noises she let out. He'd reached the bottom of her stomach when she could feel her run her fingers through his hair.

"Eddie," she moaned out. 

"Yes?" he asked, moving back up to look at her flushed face. He only half-wanted to draw it out. The other half was about to burst, he needed her so badly. She seemed to make up his mind for him as she bucked up against his body and dragged her nails down his back.

"Eddie," she half-moaned, half-whispered again. "I want you..."

Edward pushed himself back up and gave her a long, hard kiss before he pulled off her underwear. "You've got me," he whispered into her ear. "I'm yours."

* * *

"...It was unbelievable Selina. Who in God's name does Edward think he is, speaking to me in that manner in my own establishment!? After everything I've done for that ungrateful, arrogant bastard!"

Selina took another sip of wine, though the rich taste did nothing to stem the pounding headache. The Iceberg Lounge had been closed down for the evening, officially in light of the tragic events of the previous evening, but in reality, because Oswald was too furious about his encounter with Eddie to be bothered with running the Lounge that evening. He'd done nothing but rant at her from the moment she'd walked into his office. Ninety minutes ago. "Ozzie," she said with strained patience. "You basically told him that he'd be better off without the woman he loves after he risked his life to save her. How did you think he'd react?"

Oswald huffed, puffing away at his long cigarette. "I expected him to conduct himself in a manner befitting a man of his age and stature! Not carrying on like a love-struck schoolboy!" Oswald shook his head. "'Anything I need to be'...Where did that come from? He was never so protective of Crane!"

"And Crane died," Selina coldly pointed out, finishing her drink. "You don't think that might explain why he's so protective of Doc?"

Oswald at least had the decency to look sheepish. "I'll admit," he said. "That I hadn't considered that." He shook his head. "All that aside though, it was intolerable. He all but threatened me. I can't tolerate that."

"What are you going to do?" Selina asked, her voice hard as diamonds. "Cut him loose? With what happened last night, do you think that's a good idea?"

"Of course I'm not going to just cut him loose," Oswald grumbled. "It's only a matter of time until Sharp implements some new draconian regulations. I can't afford that to happen, nor can I afford for Edward to be an enemy." He let out a long puff of smoke. "That being said, something needs to be done about him. I can only imagine just how puffed up he's going to be with all the newscasters fawning over him. He's going to begin to think he's untouchable. He's riding for a fall."

It was a thought that had occurred to Selina, more than once. "Doc's pretty good about keeping Eddie down to Earth," she said. 

"Is she?" Oswald scoffed. "She's the reason he's in this mess, to begin with! He never would have gotten involved with that Bane business if not for her. You remember just how much of a stir that was caused in the Underworld. And now this!" He sank into his chair and sighed. "I hope for his sake, that this Dr. Young is worth the trouble he's brought down on his head, that she is everything that he and you seem to think she is. I don't think Edward will have an easy time of it if she isn't."

* * *

For a long moment, Penelope was aware of nothing but the intense feeling of pleasure throughout her body. It was more than she'd ever hoped for. Gradually, however, she became aware of soft lips against her cheeks and forehead. She opened her eyes to see Edward looking down at her, coming down from his own high. His bangs fell over his face after she'd pulled them out of his gelled back style. His face was red, his breath coming in slow pants, and his eyes were large and soft. He smiled as she made eye contact with him, a sweet smile that made him seem boyish, and he leaned in, giving her a soft, happy kiss on the lips. "I love you," she said when they separated, her voice huskier after the noises he'd managed to pull from her.

He let out a short laugh. "I love you too," he said sincerely, sweetly. God, how she loved this man. He gave her one last kiss before he moved to pull out of her. He wobbled to his feet, giving her a long-suffering look when she couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He pulled the condom off and twisted the top of it before depositing it in a wastebasket by her door before he came back to bed, lying next to her and taking her into his arms. Penelope allowed him to do so and leaned her head against his chest, directly over his heart. She could feel it slow down to its regular rhythm as they lay together. It was comforting. "Good?" she heard him ask.

She nodded. "Very." She looked up at his face and saw that his sweet smile had been replaced that smirk of his. 

"Best you've ever had?" he asked. "Have I utterly ruined men for you?"

Penelope sat up, grabbed a pillow, and put it over his face. Edward let out a squawk before he yanked it off. 

"You little minx!" he accused. There was no anger in his voice. Instead, he laughed. Penelope began to laugh too and lay back down against his chest, idly tracing her fingers against his chest hair. He made a contented noise that sounded almost like purring. 

"I should take a shower," she said. Her skin was already beginning to feel sticky. She watched Edward nod out of the corner of her eye, then he pressed a kiss against her bare shoulder. 

"I'll join you."

She hummed. "I think that would defeat the purpose."

"You know me so well," he quipped. His grip around her tightened slightly. "You've made me happier than I've been in a long time."

"I'm glad," Penelope said. She shut her eyes. It couldn't be any later than 9:30 or so, but she wanted nothing more than to stay in bed with him, be held by him. She opened her eyes back up. It could never be that easy.

"Are you happy?" she heard him ask.

Penelope nodded. "Of course I am." Then she sighed. "It's just...it's not always going to be like this."

She heard Edward let out a sigh of his own. "I suppose it won't, will it?" She looked up at him to see that he had a thoughtful look on his face. Then he smiled. "Well, if we can't have every night be like this, we'll make the most of what we have tonight." He smirked down at her. "I have two condoms left. What do you say, partner?"

God, but this man was impossible. She loved him. She leaned up to capture his lips in a kiss, then positioned herself so that she was on top of him. For a few more hours at least, they weren't the Riddler and a former Arkham doctor. They were just Edward and Penelope, and there was nothing in their world but each other.


	7. The Man Who Has Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first time in his life, Edward has close to everything he's ever wanted.

Bruce had managed a few more hours of sleep than he had the previous night, but he was still up early on Sunday morning, up with the sun. The only other person awake in Wayne Manor was Alfred, who dutifully prepared coffee and breakfast for the other denizens of the manor, who at the moment, were Dick, Tim, and Damian. Cassandra opted to crash with Barbara the night before after patrol. Bruce sat at the dining room table, sipping coffee and reading the Sunday morning edition of the Gotham Gazette. The front page of the paper had a large picture of the exterior of City Hall, after the attack. It was a scene of chaos, overturned chairs, and shroud covered bodies. There was another picture in the lower-left corner of the paper that Bruce was studying intently. It was a still image of Edward, in mid-attack on the gunman in front of City Hall. The headline under the image read _Gotham's New Hero?_ Bruce narrowed his eyes. As heroic as Edward's actions may have been if last night was any indication, he wasn't ready to cross that line yet. Bruce sighed as he turned to the next page. He'd expected Edward to be reluctant about working together. There was a part of Bruce that still was, but he hadn't expected the man to be carrying so much hostility still. He heard a shuffling of footsteps and saw Dick approaching the table. "Mornin' Bruce," he greeted as he took a seat directly across from Bruce.

Bruce nodded and went back to the paper. Sharp's press conference had been relegated to the second page, a fact that he was sure would anger the Mayor. 

"Chatty as always. Did you talk to Eddie last night?"

Bruce looked up, closing the paper and putting it back on the table. "I did," he said. He picked up his coffee mug and took another long sip before he elaborated. "He said no."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "Does he still think he can take Strange on his own?" He scoffed. "What am I saying, it's Eddie. So what now?"

"I told him that I'd give him a few days to think about it. I'm going to go back to his apartment Tuesday night to talk with him again."

"And if he still doesn't want to work with us? We can't force him, and I don't know about you, but I really don't want to fight with him." Dick sighed, then rested his face in his hand. "Maybe we should try reaching out to Dr. Young, see if she can talk to him."

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Bruce warned. "Selina told me yesterday that Edward threatened Cobblepot for insinuating that Dr. Young was more trouble than she was worth. I don't think he'd appreciate us approaching her."

Dick let out a low whistle. "Probably not. So wait, does that mean Cobblepot and Eddie aren't going to be working together anymore? Shouldn't that make Eddie more open to working with us?"

"Or it will make him more insular, more defensive. At any rate, if Edward doesn't want to do something, then no one, not even Dr. Young, can make him do it. He needs to understand for himself what's at stake if Strange wins."

Alfred came back to the table with a cup of coffee for Dick. "Will you be spending the night again, Master Dick?"

"No, I need to go back to Bludhaven later today. A lot of the petty crooks are probably going to start heading that way once Sharp starts his new round of crackdowns." Dick took a large gulp of coffee. "What's your next step, Bruce?"

"Gordon's launching an internal investigation in GCPD to find out who else may have been working with Schrader. I'm going to be assisting with that. I also want to get a copy of the autopsy reports for the gunmen." Bruce's gaze hardened as he remembered the demeanor of the gunmen he'd faced, and how they'd died. "I want to know exactly what Strange did to those men."

Dick nodded along. "What do you need me to do?"

"For now, keep your eyes and ears open for anything happening in Bludhaven. If I need anything else, I'll reach out to you."

"What about the rest of us, Father?" Bruce and Dick turned to see Damian take the chair next to Bruce, his mouth in a hard line. Tim then approached the table, his hair still tousled from sleep. He'd been up even later than Bruce had been scouring their usual channels for information regarding the attacks. From the large bags under his eyes, Bruce suspected that he'd gotten even less sleep than he did, something Alfred wasted no time commenting on when he returned with a large breakfast tray. 

"Master Timothy," he scolded as he put the tray down. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Tim responded with a loud yawn before he took the chair next to Dick. "I'll be okay, Alfred. I just need some coffee-"

"When you've had something to eat, go back to bed," Bruce ordered. "We can use today to recover before we launch the next phase of our investigation tomorrow."

"And what will my role be in this?" Damian asked, stubbornly crossing his arms across his chest. "You're not making me sit on the sidelines, Father!"

"Of course not, Damian," Bruce assured him. "If Nigma and I work together regarding Strange, I'll need your help in the field."

Damian rolled his eyes. " _Tt! If_ you and Nigma work together. I still say we shouldn't trust him."

Tim frowned as he filled his plate up with toast, fruit, and bacon. "He saved dozens of people Friday night, Damian. What more does he have to do to convince you he's not a Rogue anymore?"

"Don't be so naive, Drake. If that Dr. hadn't been there last night, he would have let the gunmen kill those same people and not lost any sleep over it."

"Don't call me naive," Tim argued. "I'm the who's actually faced off against him as the Riddler. You haven't. I can tell you, the man I watched on the news Friday night isn't the man who worked with Hush four years ago. I think he's earned the benefit of the doubt."

Damian scoffed, but before he could continue the argument, Bruce raised a hand. "That's enough boys." Damian glowered but said nothing. Bruce gave Tim a nod. "Did you hear anything last night?"

Tim shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Steet chatter was quiet." Tim took a longing look at the coffee Dick was drinking before Alfred put down a glass of water with a pointed look. Tim sighed, then took a long gulp of water. "No word about any of the Rogues, either."

Dick looked thoughtful as he ate his bacon. "You'd think after something like this, we'd be hearing a little chatter from the Rogues. You think they're lying low?"

Radio silence from the Rogues meant two things in Bruce's experience. Either Dick was right, and they were lying low, or they were up to something. Bruce tensed. If it was the latter, then Edward may be in greater danger than any of them knew. 

* * *

If her relationship with Edward was going to work out, then there was one person Penelope knew that it was absolutely critical for her to get along with. That person was sitting across from her, eating her chips slowly and deliberately, her green eyes never leaving her own.

Ellen had been her usual animated self when Penelope and Edward had picked her up that morning, chattering with the pair of them on the trip across the Gotham River and to the Sheltered Pines center. Despite the events of Friday night, she was cheerful, though Penelope noticed how close she stayed by her father when the three of them had arrived and walked towards a cafe. Ellen had a habit of running ahead, usually. Lunch was similarly uneventful, Penelope mostly observing the fast-paced conversations between Edward and Ellen, only chiming in when she felt it was appropriate. They sat in a booth tucked away in the far right corner of the cafe, far from any prying eyes. She and Edward had finished their meals when Edward decided it was time to have the 'talk' with Ellen, which was when the girl's demeanor had changed. She observed the pair of them with a cold, almost calculating look on her face and slowed her movements. Penelope was sure much of this was a put-on, but she let Edward take the lead in case it wasn't.

"It's just like I told you yesterday," Edward explained. He placed a hand over Penelope's. "Penny and I are together now, but I promise, you and I will still have plenty of one on one time. You won't be pushed to the side." He lightly squeezed her hand, as if giving her permission to take the lead.

In Penelope's experience, the best way to speak with Ellen was to be as direct as possible, so after steeling her nerves, direct she was. "I know how important your relationship with your father is, and I have no intention of getting in the way of that," she said. "I also don't want you to feel as though I'm forcing myself on you. I want you to feel like you can trust me, and I'd like for us to continue to have a good relationship with each other. What exactly that relationship looks like, we can figure that out at your own pace, if that's something you're comfortable with." Ellen said nothing, continuing to slowly eat her chips. Penelope looked at her boyfriend. If he was bothered by his daughter's behavior, he didn't show it. Penelope looked back to Ellen. "Were there any concerns that you have?" she asked.

Ellen took a long sip of her soda before she deigned to answer her. "Two things," she said, holding her fingers up much as her father did. "One, you're not my Mom. Don't act like my Mom."

Penelope nodded, relieved. "Of course. I wouldn't presume."

Ellen nodded. "Good. Two," she balled her hand up into a fist and aimed it towards her. "You break my Dad's heart, I break your face!"

This got a reaction from Edward. "Ellen!" he scolded.

Penelope just shook her head. She'd been near enough violent people over the years to know when someone was being genuine and when someone was posturing. "Well, fortunately for all of us, I don't intend to. Was that all?"

Ellen withdrew her fist and smiled. "Yeah, that's it." She put her knapsack on the table next to her plate and began to dig through it. "There's just one more member of the family you have to talk to!"

"Who?" Edward asked. Then he scoffed. "No offense, but I doubt your grandmother cares about my dating life."

Ellen seemed to find what she was looking for and fixed the pair with a mischievous smile. "How could you forget about your son?" She then triumphantly pulled out a familiar action figure. "Eddie Jr.!"

Edward immediately recoiled. "Oh no! I thought I sent that thing back with Nina and Deirdre after your birthday!"

"Well, I asked them to send him back to me," Ellen held the action figure up towards Penelope. "What do you think, Eddie Jr.? Is she good enough for Dad?" She pressed the back of the doll and it responded with a tinny ' _riddle me this!'_ Ellen nodded sagely. "Eddie Jr. approves."

"Oh, I'm glad," Penelope drawled, taking a sip of her hot tea and trying not to let on just how much this was amusing her. 

Beside her, Edward wasn't shy about how much this _wasn't_ amusing him. "I swear, it's like you lie awake at night, concocting new ways to humiliate me!"

Ellen just shrugged and finished off the last of her chips. "Just keepin' you humble, Old Man. And you're the one who came out in public wearing a purple sweater vest. You're humiliating _me_."

Edward let out a huff and crossed his arms. "Demon," he muttered under his breath. Then he turned to Penelope with a long-suffering look in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to be part of this madness, darling?"

Penelope responded by taking a long sip of her tea. "Actually," she said in a serious tone of voice. "Now that I think about it..." She paused, watching as Edward and Ellen's eyes widened. When she felt she'd drawn the moment out long enough, she smirked. "I think I can handle it."

Ellen immediately broke out in loud laughter, collapsing against the booth's cushions. "Oh my God! That was great! You should have seen your face, Dad!"

Edward meanwhile began to pout. "That was cruel, Penelope." He drew his arm across his face and let out exaggerated sniffles. "After everything we've been through together! I thought you loved me."

Penelope rolled her eyes but kissed him on the cheek. "Maybe that was a little mean. I'm sorry." She was about to pull away when Edward abruptly turned his head and gave her a full kiss.

"I forgive you, just this once," he said when he pulled away. Penelope scoffed but leaned in to kiss him again. 

"Hey!" Ellen squawked. "Not in front of Eddie Jr.! You're traumatizing him!"

Edward broke their kiss and scowled. "If 'Eddie Jr.' doesn't like it, he'll be more than welcome to take a first-class trip into the Gotham River on our way back!"

Ellen made a scandalized noise and put her hands over the action figure as if to protect it. "Don't listen to him, Eddie Jr. He's just a big old jerk!"

Edward rolled his eyes and huffed again, and this time, Penelope didn't bother hiding her amusement at their antics, letting out a small laugh. Ellen joined in, and soon enough, Edward did too. 

* * *

_"...The funerals for the victims of the Gotham City attacks will begin tomorrow, with tentative plans for a special ceremony Friday night being ironed out by Mayor Sharp and other city officials. Mayor Sharp has also indicated that he will begin working with District Attorney Janet Van Dorn, Blackgate warden Phillip Ward, Police Commissioner James Gordon, and other officials to begin crafting new laws in response to the attacks..."_

It was barely one, but Arthur Brown took another swig of gin as he watched the news broadcast. He'd spent the last 48 hours since the attacks hiding in the ramshackle apartment that served as his hideout. He hadn't dared go out to the Iceberg Lounge, or any of the other gathering spots for Rogues and their henchmen. He hadn't even dared to check their usual communication channels, in case GCPD or the Bats were listening in. Of course, they weren't the only ones the Rogues needed to be wary of, Arthur thought, as another familiar figure appeared on the screen. 

_"Tomorrow morning, Edward Nigma will be giving his first interview with GCNN's own Vicki Vale. Mr. Nigma, who many in Gotham are calling a hero, will be giving a full account of his actions, as well as elaborating on his filmed encounter with Batman..."_

Arthur sneered. Eddie Nigma, a hero? That would be the day. There was something else going on here, Arthur was sure of it. Eddie never did anything that didn't serve some kind of agenda, and this was no different. What exactly that agenda was, Arthur didn't know, but between the incident with Goodman, what happened with Bane, and now this...Eddie was a problem they couldn't keep ignoring. He was interrupted from his musings by the sound of his cellphone ringing. Arthur took a look and relaxed when he saw it was an unlisted number. "Yeah?" he answered.

_"Arthur, it's Temple. Where are you?"_

"Hiding," Arthur answered. "You know how the cops get after shit like this happens. We're already feeling the pinch because of Mayor Sharp and it's about to get worse."

_"Quite. All that aside, there's going to be a meeting tonight."_

"Where? Iceberg Lounge?"

_"No, Park Row. I will send you the address at precisely 5:00 pm. Tell no one else. This is strictly invitation only."_

"Got it. I'll see you later tonight." Temple hung up without another word. Arthur settled back down on his rundown couch and watched as the news showed covered bodies at the West Side Mall. He idly wondered if Stephanie had been there.

* * *

Sheltered Pines was one of many centers on the mainland that had been constructed in the past fifteen years since the rise of costumed criminals and their antics caused many Gothamites to flee to the suburbs. It consisted of about fifteen different shops, including an antique bookstore, several thrift clothing stores, an arcade that contained a variety of games from different eras, and in the center of the complex, a Japanese garden. 

After lunch, Edward, Penelope, and Ellen had gone to the antique bookstore for an hour, until Ellen had read through their collection of old comics and asked if she could go exploring the rest of the center. Edward had gone with her, agreeing to meet back up with Penelope at the Japanese Garden in ninety minutes. Near the end of those ninety minutes, Edward and Ellen emerged from the arcade, Edward triumphantly, Ellen by his side holding a comically large stuffed white bear. "That was amazing," Ellen gushed. "You beat the high score on Space Invaders and Donkey Kong in less than an hour!"

Edward chuckled. "I ruled the old arcade in Waterbury back when I was younger than you. Nice to see I haven't lost my touch." After the lights and sounds of the arcade, Edward felt a headache coming on. The bright sun and the chill in the air didn't help much. He pressed onwards though, not wanting to spoil Ellen's good time. Another chilly breeze blew, and Edward took a critical look at his daughter's turquoise frock coat. "I wish you'd worn that green coat I got you for Christmas last year."

"No way, Old Man, that thing makes me look like the Jolly Green Giant with a thyroid problem," Ellen quipped.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Well, don't come crying to me about being cold." As the pair walked past the storefronts and towards the garden, Edward kept a close eye on the people they passed. The complex wasn't as crowded as it could be, probably because of the cold, but all it took was one. Sure enough, as they walked past a woman with her two children, one of the kids took a look at him and pointed. 

"Mom! Look! It's the Riddler!"

Edward and Ellen froze as the woman looked their way. She narrowed her eyes, then shook her head. "Bobby, that's not the Riddler, that's just a man in a green coat. Stop pointing at people!" Father and daughter shared a relieved sigh and continued.

"That was too close," Ellen muttered. She looked up at Edward. "How do you keep people from recognizing you when we're out together?"

Edward raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "There have been many times in my first and second careers that I've had to fly under the radar. It's all about playing with people's expectations. When you think about the Riddler, you'd expect to see a man in a three-piece suit and a bowler hat unveiling a puzzle, not a man in an ordinary green winter coat out with his daughter. Now, if I had my cane and shouted 'Riddle me This,' I guarantee people would recognize me." 

Ellen seemed to consider this. "So you're able to hide in plain sight just by not acting like the Riddler?"

"Exactly. People see what they expect to see, after all." Edward stopped to give his daughter a look. "You're not planning on using this information for any nefarious purposes, are you?"

"No, Dad," Ellen said rolling her eyes. "I was just wondering." She looked ahead, and her eyes widened in delight. "Cool! The garden!" Indeed, the stone gate of the Japanese Garden lay before them, and Ellen rushed inside. Edward followed her inside, inspecting the garden. The foliage of the Japanese elms and maples perhaps wasn't as vivid as in Summer or Winter, but their leaves were still intact. There was a peaceful ambiance to the garden that was appealing after the hustle and bustle of Gotham City. Perhaps fifteen other people were milling about, most of them around the koi pond, or sheltering in the wooden pagoda that was on a center island. Edward scanned his surroundings until he saw a familiar blue coat sitting on a bench under a great maple tree. He gently tapped Ellen on the shoulder and directed her to follow him to the bench about twenty feet away from them. Penny hadn't noticed them yet, scribbling away in that journal of hers.

When they were five feet away, Edward announced himself. "Hail your conquering hero!"

Penny looked up and prepared to greet them when she caught sight of the huge bear in Ellen's arms and did a doubletake. "Oh my," she said. "I take it your trip to the arcade went well."

"It was all Dad. He beat the records for Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and he would have beaten the score for Pac-Man too if we had more time. I couldn't get past level five for DDR." Ellen put the bear down next to the bench and looked at the koi pond. "Can I sketch for a bit?"

Edward checked his watch. It had just turned three. "Half an hour. I want to be at least halfway over the river by the time the commuter traffic picks up." 

Ellen grinned. "Thanks, Dad!" She then rushed over the wooden gangplanks that allowed visitors to access the island, found a place to sit, and pulled her sketchbook out of her knapsack. 

Edward watched her go with an indulgent smile before he took a seat on the bench next to Penny. She had since put her journal away and moved her purse to the ground to make room for him. "We didn't keep you waiting too long, did we?" he asked.

"Not at all. I was just getting some writing done. It's a good environment for it."

Edward nodded, then reached into his coat pocket. "I got something for you at the arcade too," he said, pulling out a cheap necklace. It could barely be called a necklace, honestly. It was a light blue plastic heart on a black cord, but the color of the heart was the exact shade of Penny's eyes. He handed it to her with a sheepish grin. "I'll get you a nicer one for Christmas."

"You don't have to get me anything at all," Penny said. She put the necklace on and gave him a pleased smile. "But thank you."

It occurred to Edward that he'd seen Penny smile and laugh more today than he ever remembered seeing before. The thought that he was the cause of her happiness lifted his heart. He took a quick look to make sure no one was looking, then settled back on the bench, snaking an arm around Penny's waist. She hesitated for a moment before she leaned her head on his shoulder. They could never be so open in Gotham, but in a Japanese garden in Sheltered Pines, they were just any other couple. Edward then looked back to Ellen, watching her as she sketched the pagoda. His head still hurt, and in the back of his mind, he knew this peace couldn't last, but for now, he was determined to enjoy every second of it.

* * *

All good things had to come to an end, unfortunately. After dropping Ellen off in front of her apartment, he opted to take the scenic route to Penny's, trying to draw out as much time with her as possible. Even with the longer route, they still ended up in her parking lot by 5:30. He walked her through the doors of the brownstone, up the elevator, and down the hall, dreading every step. "Did you have a good time today?" he asked her.

Penny nodded. "Of course." She let out a little sigh. "You were right. We needed a day like today to recharge after everything."

"Aren't I always right?" Edward quipped, laughing at how she frowned.

"Ass," she answered without any venom. Edward laughed harder in response. His laughter died when he realized that they were stopped by her front door. She looked at her door, then back at him thoughtfully. "Would you like to come in?"

"I'd love to, more than anything," he answered. It was only the thought of Ellen and their outing that got him out of that apartment this morning. He let out a rueful sigh. "If I go in though, I'll never want to come out. I'll want to hide away with you forever, but I have that interview first thing tomorrow morning."

Penny nodded, her facial expression placid. "I understand." If she was disappointed, she didn't let on. "I have patients to see tomorrow as well."

"You're seeing patients?" Edward asked, surprised. "You won't be taking a few days off?"

"Just the people I had to reschedule from Thursday. Once I get caught up, I'll cut back my hours for about a week. I feel better when I'm busy." She reached up to cup his face. "I'll be alright, Edward."

Edward squeezed her hand gently. "My determined partner," he said. "Will you watch my interview tomorrow morning at least?"

"Of course I will. I'll give you a call tomorrow afternoon too." 

Edward took her hand and gave it a small kiss, before giving her a sweeping bow. "Well then. Good night, my darling doctor." He had barely raised himself back up when Penny had her hands on the front of his coat, pulling him down to give him a sound kiss. He let out a surprised noise before he returned it, enthusiastically. By the time they pulled away, his face was flushed, and she was smiling.

"Good night, Eddie," she whispered. She let go of him, unlocked her door, and went back into her apartment. 

For a long moment, Edward stayed standing outside, tempted to knock on her door, and agree to spend the night again. Then he shook his head. "Well," he said. "That was nice. Back to the real world." He walked down the hall, but he felt like he was walking on air. By the time he made it to the parking lot, he was giggling. Finally, after everything he had gone through in the past three years, he was happy. Truly happy. He had people he adored, who adored him in return. He was the toast of the Gotham press corp, and tomorrow, he'd have the whole city eating out of the palm of his hand. Even Batman, that self-righteous, self-important vigilante had to acknowledge his success now. By the time he let himself into his car, he was laughing. For the first time he could ever remember, he was on the verge of getting everything he ever wanted. Strange and Sharp could do their worst. What did he have to fear?

* * *

The address Fugate sent Arthur was an abandoned office building in Park Row. He arrived at the said building at ten pm, as per Fugate's instructions. The street was dark, with only a single street light to illuminate the building, and empty. Arthur cautiously looked up and down the block before he knocked on the door. He wasn't in full costume, in case GCPD or the Bats were out, but he had his belt and gear at the ready. After a tense moment, the door opened and Arthur walked into what had been a waiting room once upon a time. At a large circular table sat many of the Rogues who had so far escaped capture, including Fugate, Drury Walker, Garfield Lynns, and at the head of the table, Harvey Dent. No prizes for guessing who had called the meeting. Arthur took the last empty seat by Fugate. Standing around the table were various henchmen, all of them armed. "So," Arthur said, folding his hands in front of him. "It's your meeting, Harvey."

Dent threw a copy of a newspaper down on the table. "We need to talk about this." Arthur leaned over. It was that day's edition of the Gotham Gazette.

"What, the City Hall thing?" Walker asked. "Do we know who did that?"

"It wasn't Joker?" A man in a suit sitting by Dent asked. Arthur's eyes widened when he recognized him as an associate of Black Mask. Whatever this was about was serious if Sionis was sending his people to sit in.

"No," Fugate answered. "If it was Joker, we would know it. He wouldn't leave any mystery."

"It doesn't matter who did it," Dent hissed. He pointed at a picture lower on the page. Arthur's eyes narrowed when he recognized Eddie. "What matters is what _this_ son of a bitch did! He's gone too far this time. We saw him on TV, working with the Bat, and now the whole damn city thinks he's a hero! Pretty soon, he's going to start thinking he's a hero. And if he does, it's open season on us. We all know what he did to Tetch, Goodman, and Bane."

"This is disturbing," Fugate agreed, looking at the paper with narrowed eyes. He peered at Arthur with a calculating look. "You used to be partners with him, didn't you?"

"Hey, Eddie and I haven't worked together for years, not since before that shit with Elliot," Arthur said, holding his hands up. "He started really going off the deep end after that. I have no idea what he's doing or why. I agree with Harv, though. We have to do something about Eddie, quick."

"What about Cobblepot?" Walker asked. "He's one of the last fences in town, and he said Nigma was off-limits."

"That might not be a problem anymore," Dent said. He gestured behind him, and a young man dressed in a waiter's uniform stepped forward, visibly nervous. "Tell them what you told us."

The waiter gulped. "Nigma came to the Iceberg Lounge yesterday and got in a fight with Mr. Cobblepot. I don't know what they talked about, but Nigma left in a huff, and Mr. Cobblepot was saying that he threatened him."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. So Eddie and Cobblepot were on the outs. This was promising. The man in the suit next to Harvey cleared his throat. "At this time, Mr. Sionis will not be directly involved. He has communicated to me, however, that anyone willing to take care of this problem will receive protection from any reprisals."

Lynns cackled. "So what's the plan? You want me to go over to his apartment and light it up?"

"No," Dent said, pulling his coin out of his jacket pocket. "After the attacks, the cops are going to be jumpy. We can't attract that kind of attention. We get him at his office, tomorrow, and bring him to the Solomon Wayne Courthouse."

"Why?" Arthur asked.

Dent flipped his coin. "Even Nigma deserves the chance to defend himself." Dent caught the coin and grinned when he saw which side it had landed on. "And when we find him guilty," he continued in a raspier voice, "We want to blow his brains out ourselves." 

Arthur smiled. Eddie wanted to act like a hero? Then he got to be treated like one.


	8. Pound of Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other shoe drops.

_Monday, December 3rd, 2007_

_3:00 pm_

The interview with Vicki Vale had gone perfectly, Edward was proud to say. His appearance had been perfect, he'd modulated his behavior to be more subdued than he normally was, at Penny's recommendation the day before, and Vale had responded perfectly. He had her hook line and sinker the entire interview. She'd accepted his explanation for his presence at City Hall without question, as well as his interaction with Batman. Edward had even been gracious enough to not call out Sharp's behavior during and after the attacks, even though Vale had allowed him to do so. Better to be the bigger man and let the Mayor choke on it. All in all, Edward couldn't have asked for a more perfect interview. 

The interview had gone a little too perfectly, actually.

From the moment he'd arrived at his office, Edward had been inundated with phone call after phone call from Selina, Nina, and Deirdre, assorted casual acquaintances, and former clients. Those calls he had accepted without much complaint, but they didn't stop there. More calls came in, from other reporters requesting interviews, to new clients asking for his services, to bizarre calls from random people asking for everything from riddles to sexual favors. Five hours after the interview, Edward sat at his desk, his work phone attached to his ear, writing down the client's information. "Let me see if I have the details correct," he said, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder. "You suspect your employee is faking a back injury and fraudulently claiming worker's compensation, and you wish for me find out the truth of the matter." It wasn't the most intellectually stimulating work, but it was a step up from a wandering wife job. "Well, I can take a look at it. Would you be available for a meeting this Thursday-" Edward took a look at his calendar only to see that he was seeing ten clients on Thursday. "Actually, how about Friday at three pm-" He bit back a curse when he realized that he was triple booked for Friday at three. "Tell you what, I need to take a look at my calendar and I'll call you right back. Thank you." He hung up before the new client could complain, leaned back in his chair, and began to massage his temples. He really needed to hire a secretary. He'd been putting it off too long, and now it was costing him. He felt his cell phone vibrating in his breast pocket and groaned. "God, now what?" He pulled out the phone, only to smile when he saw the number. "Hello, darling," he sighed as he picked up the call. 

_"Are you alright?"_ Penny asked. _"You sound like you're in pain."_

The office phone rang again, and Edward was tempted to unplug it. "I am in pain," he whined. "I've been doing nothing but answering my phone and setting up appointments for the last five hours."

_"Well, after what you did on Friday and your interview, getting an uptick in clients isn't that much of a surprise. Try to think about the positives. You're more highly regarded by the people of Gotham now than you've ever been. That will make it much harder for Sharp and Strange to attack you."_

"And more clients means more money," Edward agreed. "I'll be able to start expanding my informant network." He hadn't even had the time today to check in with his informants. He let a smile come to his face. "I take it you approved of my interview today?"

 _"Of course,"_ Penny said, and Edward could hear the pride in her voice. _"You were wonderful."_

Edward flushed at her praise and chuckled. "Aren't I always?"

 _"Eddie,"_ she lightly scolded. _"Ego."_

"I don't have an-" he was cut off by the sound of his office phone ringing again. The Hell with unplugging it, he was ready to throw it against the wall. "If that phone rings one more time, I'm coming over to your office to steal you away and hide in your apartment for the rest of the week."

Penny hummed. _"I think my patients and your clients would have something to say about that."_

"Well then, it's a good thing I don't care what they think."

_"And what about Ellen?"_

Edward pursed his lips. "I'll leave your apartment for Ellen's sake and Ellen's sake alone. Everyone else can get stuffed."

_"That reminds me actually. Selina called me about an hour ago."_

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What did she want?"

_"She invited me out for coffee tomorrow afternoon for some 'girl's time.'"_

"'Girl's time'?" Edward narrowed his eyes. "More like she wants to tell you every embarrassing story about me."

Penny let out a short laugh. _"From the way you're reacting, it sounds like she has plenty of them."_

Edward chuckled. "Penny darling, if you want me to come over to play doctor, you only have to ask." His office phone rang yet again before she could reply. "God Almighty," he groaned. "It never ends!"

_"I should let you go. Call me later tonight?"_

Edward sighed. "I think I'll be stuck here late. Tomorrow afternoon?"

_"That's fine. I promise I won't take whatever Selina says about you too seriously."_

"Haha," Edward groused. Then he softened. "I love you."

_"I love you too. Bye, Eddie."_

No sooner did Edward hangup did his cell phone ring again. "Oh, what now?" He answered the phone without looking at the number. "Edward Nigma, Private Investigator."

_"Edward? It's Bruce Wayne."_

Edward sat straight up in his chair. "Mr. Wayne? This is a surprise." His eyes narrowed. "You're not calling me from inside a dumpster, are you?"

If Wayne was offended, Edward couldn't detect it. _"My limo, actually. I just wanted to give you a quick call to congratulate you on your interview. It was the talk of the office today."_

Edward leaned back in his chair and propped his legs up on his desk. "Well, thank you." Angry as he may still be at Wayne for his stupidity at City Hall, he certainly wouldn't turn down the man's praise. Or his checkbook. His office phone rang again and he scowled. "Actually, now that I've got you on the phone, you wouldn't happen to have any spare secretaries you could throw my way, do you?"

_"You don't have one? We use a temp agency for our secretarial staff. I can give them a call, set you up with a meeting."_

"That would be marvelous, thank you. Come to think of it, I may need a press agent too." Just then, he heard a loud knock coming from the main office door. "Just a minute!" Edward called out. He then turned his attention back to his cell phone. "Sorry, there's someone at the door. The busy life of a celebrity private investigator you see-" Louder, more insistent knocking cut him off. "I said just a minute!" he shouted. He swung his legs down and stood up when he heard a loud burst of gunfire and breaking glass. Edward immediately threw himself to the floor behind his desk.

 _"Edward?"_ he heard Wayne shout over the ringing in his ears. _"Edward!?"_ Edward hung up the call as he heard the sound of the previously locked front door open, and footsteps walk into the office waiting room. Edward lay still against the floor, not daring to breathe. This couldn't be Strange, he wasn't this brazen. Sharp perhaps? One of Schrader's partners in GCPD?

"Where the Hell is the Riddler freak?" he heard a voice call out. "I heard him yellin'."

"You better not have killed him," another voice responded, as deep and rough as the first. "Boss said he wanted him alive to teach him a lesson." Edward's heart sank into his stomach. He knew henchmen when he heard them. _Rogues._ The footsteps came closer and Edward's brain went through his options quickly. The front exit was blocked, obviously. The window behind him led out to a fire escape, but he didn't have time to unlock it before the henchmen came into his office. Assuming his neighbors called the police, that left about seven minutes before the nearest patrol car could get here. He heard the sound of the interior door open and his brain stopped. Time was up. His eyes darted to his right side. One of his canes was propped up against the corner by his file cabinet. The footsteps were closer now, maybe three feet from his desk. Time to move now. Edward pulled himself to the corner and grabbed the cane.

"There you are!" he heard a voice behind him. "Guys, he's in here!" Edward got up to his feet and turned left towards the intruder. He was a tall, burly man, in a white and black suit split down the middle, which told Edward exactly who the boss was. The man stepped forward to grab him and Edward lunged, hitting him in the shoulder with the handle of his cane. The man fell to the floor with a shout, and three more men burst in, each in the same outfit as the first. One of them pointed his gun towards Edward while the other two advanced towards him. Edward swung wildly at one, only for the man he had dropped to get back up and grab him around the waist. One of the advancing thugs grabbed his cane from him, while the other punched him in the stomach. Edward dropped to his knees and felt his arms being pulled behind him. He struggled, but the men's grip held tight. This couldn't be how it ended for him. After what he'd accomplished, after finally getting a taste of everything he'd ever wanted, he couldn't be murdered at the hands of these idiots! A dark chuckling made him look up into the face of the fourth man, the leader with the gun.

"Not such a big shot now, are you 'hero'?" The leader sneered.

Edward glared at him. "You morons have no idea," he hissed. "What you've just brought down on yourselves. Let me go now, and perhaps, I'll be generous enough to spare you."

The leader just laughed. "Right." He gestured to the men behind Edward. "Pull him up." The men pulled Edward to his feet, and the leader grinned. "You ripped the boss off on a heist six years back. I've been wanting to do this for a long time." He cocked his fist back, and punched Edward in the stomach, hard. Edward fell forward, only the men's grip on him preventing him from collapsing onto the floor. Through the haze of pain, he could hear the leader tell the others, "Let's get out of here before the cops show." Then he felt himself being dragged along his floor before he was hefted over someone's shoulders. As his vision went dark, he saw two faces appear before him, clear as day. _Penny...Ellen..._

Then darkness.

* * *

Ten minutes after Edward had disconnected their call, Alfred had pulled the limousine into the alley behind Edward's office. Bruce, by now fully suited up, barely waited for the car to stop before he opened the sunroof and aimed his grappling hook towards the fire escape just outside the office. As soon as he landed on the fire escape, he looked inside the large window. There was no sign of Edward. Bruce jimmied open the window as quickly as he could before he stepped inside. "Edward?" he called out. He received no answer. It was just as he feared. He was too late. Bruce reached up to his cowl and pressed the communicator. "Oracle, I'm at Edward's office. He's gone." 

_"What happened? You don't think Strange is involved, do you?"_

"I doubt it," Bruce said, scanning the office. "I heard gunfire. Strange wouldn't use that level of force, not after Edward was just on tv."

_"So you're thinking one of the Rogues."_

"Yes. I'm going to check for clues." Bruce looked down at his feet and saw Edward's cell phone lying half under the desk. Edward had been here when the attackers had come. Bruce stepped out from around the desk and saw Edward's cane, lying discarded about three feet to the right. He'd tried to fight them off. There was no blood visible, either from Edward or from the attackers. Bruce stepped through the open door to the main waiting room, where the attackers had to enter and exit from. The front door to the office was wide open, broken glass from the shot out door lite scattered on the floor. Why didn't Edward have his office more secure? Apart from the bullet holes embedded in the wall, there was no other sign of violence. "Edward was taken alive," Bruce said at last. "Which buys us time. Oracle, alert your father, then call Tim. I need the two of you to monitor communications. Keep out for any sign of Edward or who might have taken him. Call Stephanie and have her to go the West Side to find Edward's daughter."

_"Got it. What about Dr. Young?"_

"I'm going to call Selina, then I'm going to the Iceberg Lounge." Even if Cobblepot wasn't involved, he would know who was. "Tell Cass to meet me there. Batman out!" Bruce dashed back towards the fire escape. Even if the Rogues had Edward taken alive, they wouldn't keep him alive for long. He needed to hurry.

* * *

_3:45 pm_

Penelope exited her office building and walked briskly towards her car. She'd finished with her patients for the day before calling Edward, and had decided to go home early to wrap up her notes and call Joan back. As much as she liked being busy, she felt that she'd had enough in-person interaction for the day. She reached up and rubbed the back of her head. Perhaps it was the residual trauma from Friday, but she'd started to feel an unease that afternoon. She shook her head. It was nothing some time alone couldn't fix. She was at her car about to lock it when she heard the squeal of breaks behind her. She turned around, her hand in her purse to pull out her taser when the car door opened and Selina stepped out. Penelope's heart began to pound in her chest when she saw the almost frantic look on the other woman's face. "Doc!" Selina called out to her. "We've got to go!"

Penelope dashed to the passenger side door and let herself in. She barely had time to fasten her seatbelt before Selina peeled out of the office building's parking lot. "What's happened?" Penelope asked. Had there been some kind of threat? Strange, Sharp? If that was the case though, why wouldn't Edward-her blood ran cold. "Where's Edward?"

The dark look on Selina's face confirmed her worst fears. "He's gone," she said. "He disappeared from his office about twenty minutes ago, after his neighbors heard gunfire. Batman thinks that one of the Rogues kidnapped him."

Penelope felt like she could barely breathe. Not ten minutes after she'd spoken to him last, not three days since she'd told him that she loved him, he'd been taken from her. She felt her hands shaking, and she took a deep breath. It wouldn't do Edward any good if she fell apart, or Ellen- _Ellen._ Ellen had walked onto Arkham Island for Edward, what would she do once she heard her father had been abducted by a Rogue? "We need to get Ellen, we need to make sure she's safe-"

"Way ahead of you," Selina said. "Batgirl's on her way to check on her, and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

Penelope nodded, relieved. "What's Batman's plan? What do you need me to do?"

"Batman's heading to the Iceberg Lounge to find out who exactly took Eddie. I'm taking you to my place to get you out of the line of fire."

"No," Penelope said firmly. "Take me to GCPD."

"Doc-"

"If a Rogue took Edward, then GCPD's the safest place for me to be. I don't need you to babysit me, Selina. I need you to help Batman get Edward back." Penelope looked at Selina beseechingly. "Get him back," her voice cracked. "Promise me, Selina."

Selina's eyes turned jade hard. "I promise."

* * *

_4:00 pm_

School had been rather subdued that day. A lot of kids Ellen knew were absent, due to family members being injured in the attack on the West Side Mall, or in a few cases, killed. Someone Ellen had known in passing in her English class had died. The teachers had been silent, many of them not bothering with their lesson plans, and the students too shell shocked by the events to take much advantage. Ellen herself went through the day with her head down, sticking close to her friends when she could. The one bright spot of the day was that Gramma was finally home, though she was currently taking a nap. Ellen herself was in her building's back parking lot, dressed in sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt, doing stretches before going for her afternoon run. Red Hood hadn't given her an exact date for when they'd next meet, but he had finally agreed to exchange phone numbers with her and told her to keep up her exercises. She'd completed her leg stretches and was about to begin her run when she heard her cell phone buzz. She pulled it out of her sweatpants pocket and saw that she had a text. 

_Something's going on with the Rogues. They're on the move. Stay home tonight. RH._

Ellen frowned. Jesus Christ, what now? Weren't the attacks on Friday night enough? She was about to put her phone back in her pocket when she heard someone landing behind her.

"Ellie!"

Ellen sharply turned around and jumped back. "Holy fuck!" Standing in front of her in full costume was Batgirl. Ellen shoved her phone back into her pocket and tried to look casual. She was just going for a run, nothing suspicious about that. Wait, what was Batgirl doing here this time of day? "What's up?" she asked.

"Are you alone?" Batgirl asked. Ellen noticed that the blonde looked worried. 

"No," Ellen answered. "My Gramma's inside, taking a nap. What's going on?" Was this about the Rogue thing that Hood had texted her about? 

Batgirl looked a little relieved, but not enough. "Good. Go back inside and stay there."

What the Hell was going on? The way Batgirl was talking, it sounded like Ellen was personally in danger, but if she was, where was Dad? Ellen's stomach dropped. "What's going on?" Ellen asked. "Is this about my Dad?"

Batgirl looked stricken, and Ellen's heart started pounding. "Don't panic," Batgirl said gently. "Your Dad disappeared from his office almost an hour ago. Batman's looking for him now, but we need to make sure you're safe."

No. No, no, no, no, _NO!_ "Who took him?" Ellen demanded. "Strange? The Rogues? Who's got my Dad!?" 

"We're not sure," Batgirl said, placing her hands on her Ellen's shoulders. "Batman thinks it was one of the Rogues, but it's going to be ok. We're going to get him back."

Ellen shook her head. "I want to help," she said. "Let me go in and -"

"No," Batgirl said, gently but firmly. Ellen opened her mouth to argue, but Batgirl cut her off. "Ellie, I get it. Believe me, I get it, but if the Rogues did take your Dad, then you showing up is going to do a lot more harm than good. If they find out about you, they won't hesitate to hurt you to hurt your Dad. The best thing you can do for your Dad is to stay safe. That's what he'd want."

Ellen wanted to scream, to push Batgirl away from her, to run off and hurt every son of a bitch who hurt Dad, but she knew in her soul that Batgirl was right. Ellen wiped her face, but she couldn't prevent a few tears from leaking out. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stay around here and watch your building and make sure the bad guys don't come here. The second I hear anything about your Dad, I'll let you, I promise." Batgirl removed her hands from Ellen's shoulders and took a step back. "Now go back inside. Don't worry. We'll get your Dad back. I promise." Batgirl smiled at her, then took out her grappling hook and aimed it at the roof of Ellen's building. She fired and took off. 

Ellen ran back inside, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. 'Make sure the bad guys don't come here.' Also, to make sure Ellen didn't go out to save Dad. Halfway up the stairs, Ellen pulled her cell phone out. Even if she couldn't do anything to help Dad, she knew someone else who could. 

And he would make them _pay_.

* * *

_4:15 pm_

Bruce pushed past bewildered waitstaff and angry security guards as he strode into the Iceberg Lounge. He entered the thankfully, still empty dining room, and narrowed his eyes when he saw a familiar figure sitting at the largest table underneath the chandelier. "Well well," Cobblepot drawled as Bruce approached him. "You're out early. Aren't bats nocturnal creatures?"

Bruce stopped when he was standing directly in front of Cobblepot. He ignored the three tall, scowling men standing behind Cobblepot and focused his attention entirely on the proprietor of the Iceberg Lounge. Cobblepot was indifferent to him, smoking a cigarette. "We need to talk about Edward Nigma."

Cobblepot put out his cigarette and scowled. "If you need to speak about Edward, go ask Dr. Young. I believe she's the one currently in possession of his ba-" Bruce reached his hand out, grabbed Cobblepot by the collar, and threw him over the table and onto the floor. As he lay dazed, the three bodyguards charged Bruce. He easily dispatched the first one to throw a swing at him with a blow to the nose. Another man had his fist cocked back ready to strike when Bruce saw a fast black blur tackle him. The figure got up and Bruce recognized Cassandra. She looked over her shoulder and acknowledged him with a nod before turning her attention to the third bodyguard. He was either not as brave as his colleagues or not as dumb, for he stood his ground. Bruce walked to where Cobblepot was sprawled on the floor and leaned down, staring the man dead in the eyes.

"Edward Nigma was abducted from his office an hour ago," Bruce growled. Cobblepot's eyes widened, he noted. He didn't know, but that didn't necessarily make him innocent. 

"That lovestruck fool," Cobblepot muttered. "I warned him!"

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Did you know this was going to happen?"

Cobblepot looked up at him, and his face turned red. "You-you dare come into my establishment, rough me up and attack my employees, and accuse me of this!? Edward is a friend of mine, I would never-"

Bruce leaned forward. "Are you friends? I know that the two of you argued Saturday."

"A minor disagreement!" Cobblepot sputtered. "It certainly wasn't anything worth killing the man over! I merely warned him that behaving the way he was would have consequences! And it appears that I was right!"

Bruce picked Cobblepot up by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the floor with one hand. "Do you know who did it?"

"Not for certain, no," Cobblepot said. "Though I have my guesses."

"Who?" Bruce asked, tightening his grip.

"The Rogues most vocal about Edward's antics are Harvey Dent, Arthur Brown, Drury Walker, and Garfield Lynns."

"And when was the last time you spoke with any of them?"

Cobblepot wet his lip. "Friday night, after the attack on City Hall was televised. I spoke to all of them over the phone, I thought I had managed to talk them down-"

"They must have found out about your argument with Edward and thought they had an opening," Bruce said. "I hope your 'minor disagreement' was worth it." He unceremoniously dropped Cobblepot on the floor, then turned to Cassandra. "We're leaving." She dutifully followed him out of the Iceberg Lounge, then up to the rooftops.

"Where do we start?" she asked.

"Dent's the ringleader," Bruce answered. "He's never gotten along with Edward, and he's got the largest force out of all the Rogues not in Arkham. We find him, we find Edward." Harvey had been so quiet for so long, that Bruce had almost hoped that he'd left Gotham. Bruce forced the old feelings of guilt down and pressed his communicator. "Oracle, Black Bat and I just left the Iceberg Lounge. Dig up anything you can find on Cluemaster, Firely, Killer Moth..." he swallowed. "And Two-Face."

_"You got it. My father's calling the senior detectives together at GCPD. He's keeping it as quiet as possible for now."_

It was a good idea on Gordon's part. It had only been three days since the attacks. If word got out to the public that the Rogues were plotting, the ensuing panic could be disastrous. "Did you hear from Stephanie?"

_"Yes. Nigma's daughter is at home. Steph's keeping an eye on the building to make sure no one comes in after her and that she doesn't try to play hero again."_

"Good." Bruce was about to say more when he heard familiar footsteps on the roof beside them. "Call me when you find anything. Batman out." He turned to see Selina approaching him and Cassandra. "Did you find Dr. Young?"

"Just dropped her off at GCPD," Selina answered. "She insisted that I help you find Eddie." Her eyes narrowed. "So. Who are we tracking down?"

"Dent," Bruce answered. "Do you have any idea where he might be holding up?"

"Last time I had a run-in with him was at his old campaign office in Park Row."

"Then that's where we're heading." Bruce turned east, towards Park Row. "Let's go." Hopefully, they could find Edward before it was too late.


	9. The Trial of Edward Nigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward is brought to account for his actions in the past two years.

Edward awoke alone, in pain, and darkness. 

As he returned to consciousness, he became aware that he was lying on his side, and that whatever he was in, it was moving. A car trunk, he realized. Edward cracked his eyes open, only to see nothing but darkness. Panic briefly overtook him. God, was he blind? He felt rough cloth over his eyes, where his glasses should be, and realized he was blindfolded. His hands were behind him, tightly bound. He began rubbing his wrists together. He tried rolling over, but there wasn't enough space in the cramped trunk. He kicked his feet out against the trunk, to no avail. Edward lay down, took a breath, and thought the situation through. Dent had sent his men to abduct him, but not to kill him. Not to kill him right away, at least. Did Oswald know? A pit settled in Edward's stomach. Was Oswald involved? Was this his way of getting him in line after their fight? Then Edward's blood ran cold. _Penny. Ellen._ If Oswald had betrayed him, had he told Dent about them? Were they, even now, being abducted too? Fear turned to rage in an instant. If Oswald, if Dent, if any of the Rogues had gotten within 500 feet of Penny and Ellen, not even Batman could save them from the Hell he'd rain down on them. Finally, the car came to a stop. Edward heard the car doors open, then footsteps approach the trunk. The lid opened, and even though Edward still couldn't see, he felt the late afternoon sun on his face.

"We're here, 'hero'," he heard one of the men say. "Time to meet your audience." Edward then felt himself getting dragged out of the trunk.

"I can walk on my own if you don't mind," he hissed as he was pulled to his feet. The only response he received was a slap on the back of his head.

"Shut up," one of the men said. Edward was then half escorted, half pulled along. He heard a door open in front of him and shut behind him. As he was dragged along, he became aware of a loud mass of voices, somewhere in front of him, and the sound of shoes on a marble floor. They weren't in a warehouse then. Where were they? The men dragging him came to an abrupt stop, keeping a tight hold on his arms. A loud, familiar voice called out and Edward realized exactly where he was.

_"Bring out the defendant!"_

So this wasn't a simple abduction. This was a trial. Harvey would be that dramatic. Edward was shoved forward by the man behind him and through another door. Almost immediately, he was assaulted by the sound of loud voices, hooting and jeering at him. "Traitor!" he heard someone shout at him. "Back-stabbing piece of shit!" Even if Edward hadn't been blindfolded, he wouldn't have dignified the rabble with a response.

Finally, he felt himself being shoved down into a chair, his hands hooked around the back. The blindfold was ripped off at last, and Edward squinted at the sudden, intense light. He opened his eyes, slowly, and took in his surroundings. He was, as he suspected, in a courtroom in the Solomon Wayne Courthouse. From what he could tell, he was in the witness well, and the gallery before him was packed with various members of Gotham's gangs, shouting and gesturing at him. At the prosecutor's bench sat Drury Walker and Garfield Lynns, in full costume. Directly in front of Edward, glaring down at him, were three other, familiar figures. Edward swallowed his fear and gave each of them a nod. "Harvey," he addressed the man in the middle, who glared at him in response. He looked to his left at a man in a hideous brown suit. "Temple." Finally, Edward's gaze went to the man on Harvey's right, a man with his long blond hair tied back. Edward narrowed his eyes. "Arthur. The plot thins." He smirked at the indignant face Arthur made before Harvey stepped forward, and Edward couldn't help but notice the gun he held in his hand.

"Nigma," Harvey growled leaning down to look Edward directly in the eyes. Edward tried not to wince at the scarred face or the acrid smell of old, burnt flesh that emanated from it. "You know why you're here?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Big Bad Harv wants my autograph?" Harvey backhanded him hard with his left hand, sending Edward's head snapping back. A loud laugh came from the gallery, and Harvey turned to address them.

"Order in the Court!" he shouted, not as Big Bad Harv, but as Harvey Dent, district attorney. Edward ran his tongue over his split lip, tasting the blood in his mouth. Dent and Harv appeared to agree on whatever was going on. That was never a good sign. Once the noise had died down, Harvey used the barrel of his gun to force Edward's chin up. "Arrogant little smart ass," Harvey rasped. "You haven't changed a damn bit."

"Neither have you, I see," Edward hissed. "Still no sense of humor. Or manners."

Harvey brought his hand up and Edward winced. Before the blow could come, Temple raised his cane. "Enough. Let's get to the business at hand."

Harvey reluctantly lowered his hand. "Fine." He then turned back to the gallery and said in a booming voice. "Court is now in session in the matter of the People of Gotham City vs. Edward Nigma. The charge is treason." Harvey turned back to Edward, a dangerous glimmer in his one good eye. "How does the defendant plead?"

Edward answered with a glare of his own. "If you think for one second that I'm indulging this nonsense-" he was cut off by another backhand from Harvey. 

"Next time you're getting pistol-whipped," Harvey warned. "Now, how do you plead?"

Edward forced himself to look at Harvey, and not at Arthur's smug face. "Not guilty," he hissed through the pain. 

Harvey turned back to the gallery. "For the past two years, we've watched the defendant, Edward Nigma, turn on his fellow Rogues. Jervis Tetch, Victor Goodman, Bane. And now, we saw him, on camera, working with Batman. Now he's got half the city thinking he's some kind of hero." The crowd booed before being silenced by Harvey's raised hand. Harvey looked over his shoulder to glare at Edward. "We've known Edward Nigma for years. And we know he's never been out for anyone except himself. This is all part of some scheme. First, he picks us off one by one. Then, once Gotham lets its guard down, he takes out Batman and his cohorts. Then no one's left to stand in his way." Harvey jabbed his scarred finger towards Edward. "You couldn't get any respect as a Rogue, so you decided to fake a reformation and take us out as a private detective. Do you deny it!?"

Edward stared at Harvey for a long moment, unsure if this was happening or if this was part of some fever dream. Then he did the only thing he felt was appropriate for the situation. He laughed, long and hard. "Oh, I wish I was half as devious as you seem to think I am," he said finally. "This may come as a surprise to you, Harv, but I haven't spared the lot of you a single thought since I woke up from my coma." He directed his glare towards the rest of the assembled Rogues and hoodlums, thankful at least that he didn't recognize any of Oswald's men in the crowd. "Nothing that I've done in the past two years was about you! Any of you!"

"You expect us to believe that Ed?" Arthur scoffed. "What about what you did to Tetch? Or Goodman? Or Bane? You don't think you owe us an explanation at least?"

Edward took a deep breath through his nostrils. "I owe you," he growled out. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You least of all, Arthur."

Arthur opened his mouth, but then Temple cut him off. "In the interest of time," he said in that nasal voice of his. "Let's review each incident chronologically, starting with when Nigma was hired by Mayor Sharp last May."

"Right," Harvey seethed. "You worked for Sharp then. Are you working for him now? Was this crackdown on us your idea?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "If any of you could be bothered to pay attention to the news, you'd all know that Sharp hates my guts, and vice versa. I worked for him last year because he paid me to. That's all. I had no idea that he'd even become the Mayor, let alone what he'd do in office." 

Temple rubbed his chin in thought. "That is true," he admitted. "That, however, does not explain why you all but unseated ex-Mayor Hill."

"Skipping ahead a bit, aren't we?" Edward taunted. "Besides, I thought you of all people would have appreciated Hill's downfall, Temple. Unless my memory fails me, as it frequently does."

"My personal feelings are irrelevant," Temple said between his teeth. "What is relevant is that you maintain that there is animosity between you and Mayor Sharp, yet you were instrumental in the removal of his political rival. I think that requires an explanation before we go any further."

Edward furrowed his brow, trying not to let on how much the gazes of his former colleagues were bothering him. He supposed from an outside point of view, his actions seemed odd. "I was investigating a missing person's case at the time," he explained. "During the course of the investigation, I uncovered evidence about Hill's misdeeds that I was compelled to hand over to GCPD. Hill's resignation wasn't my goal, but rather, an unintended consequence."

From the prosecutor's table, Walker scoffed. "So you 'accidentally' forced Hill to resign? Seriously?"

"If I wanted Hill gone, I would have done it years ago," Edward insisted. "And given what I-" Edward stopped himself. His investigation into Strange would be his trump card, only to be deployed if necessary. "Given what we've seen Sharp do," he corrected. "In hindsight, I shouldn't have gotten involved in that mess."

Temple raised an eyebrow, but Harvey shook his head. "Moving on," the former district attorney said. "What about what happened to Tetch? Was that an accident too?"

"You can't put that on me," Edward argued. "In the first place, that was-" he stopped himself again. The other Rogues were out for blood. Even on the off-chance it would save him, he couldn't, he wouldn't throw Selina under the bus. "That was his own damn fault. He'd kidnapped a girl and was forcing her to be his Alice. I gave him every chance to let her go and walk away, and he tried to drag me into his Wonderland too. Can you blame me for turning him back over to Arkham, or would you have preferred it if I'd killed the miserable little bastard?"

"You'd have done the world a favor if you had," Harvey admitted. "So for Tetch, you're claiming self-defense?"

"I am," Edward nodded. "Likewise in the case of Goodman. I didn't instigate that mess, I just reacted to it. Was I supposed to just sit back and let him humiliate me and try to kill me? Would any of you stand for that?"

There was a pause as the assembled Rogues looked at each other. While Harvey, Temple, and Arthur moved to confer with each other, Edward focused on the rope that bound his wrists. He flexed his wrists. It felt like a basic double knot. He could get out of it in ten minutes. He just needed a distraction. Edward stilled his movements when he saw Harvey and the others turn back towards him. "The Court accepts your claims of self-defense against Tetch and Goodman," he said. Any hope Edward may have had at getting out of this intact died as Harvey's good eye narrowed. "Tell us," he said. "How do you explain what happened with Bane?"

Edward opened his mouth, then he felt it go dry. How did he explain Bane without revealing Penny, or what she meant to him? He would die before he revealed her existence to them. The Rogues looked at him expectantly, Harvey wrathful, Temple thoughtful, and Arthur smug. "I..." Edward said. "Well..." Oswald's warning from July repeated in his mind and he swallowed. Perhaps he should have taken the man more seriously. Edward finally set his jaw and fixed the crowd with a defiant look. "That was a private matter," he declared. "It's no concern of yours." 

The crowd in the gallery immediately began hollering. It took Temple three strikes of his cane against the floor for order to be restored. When all was silent, Harvey took a deep breath, the hand that wasn't holding his gun clenching into a fist. "'A private matter.' That's your explanation?"

"It's the only one you're getting, Harv," Edward shrugged. "I don't have to explain or justify any of my actions to you lot. You've all made it quite clear to me over the years that you don't see me as a friend. When I woke up from my coma, none of you could be bothered to lift a finger for me, but now that I've used my superior intellect to make a new life for myself, you think _I'm_ the one who betrayed _you_?" Edward focused his attention on Harvey and smirked. "I washed my hands of your years ago. This little display is nothing but pathetic nonsense dreamed up by jealous has-beens."

Harvey's face turned a bright shade of red. "You smug son of a-"

"He's provoking you," Temple said, raising his cane in front of the man to block him from attacking Edward. "It's a ploy. He's trying to obfuscate the reason he went after Bane." Temple fixed Edward with a cold, robotic stare. "I don't recall any personal animosity between you and Bane like there was between you and Goodman, nor would he go out of his way to provoke you as Tetch did. Come to think of it, why was Bane in Gotham at all? I thought he was in federal custody."

"He came for that TITAN drug that he was hooked on," Harvey explained. "Some Arkham chickadee made it from his blood-" Harvey paused, and Edward's stomach dropped. "Wait. That doctor, Bane was here for her, too." He looked at Edward, realization written on his face. "You did it for a woman." Then he snarled. "You're not just screwing us over to get at Batman. You're doing it to impress some shrink from Arkham!"

Edward rolled his eyes and forced himself to remain calm. "Impressing a woman? Seriously, Harvey? When have I ever done anything to impress anyone?"

"Don't you give me that bullshit, Ed!" Harvey bellowed, pushing past Temple and banging his fist on the wooden panel in front of the witness well. "All your miserable life, you've been trying to puff yourself up, make yourself out to be something greater than what you really are: a selfish, self-absorbed egomaniac who threw tantrums every time Batman outsmarted him!" Harvey jabbed his finger in Edward's face, almost touching the tip of his nose. "We've always seen right through you, little boy. You've never given a shit about anything, or anyone other than yourself and your fucking ego!"

Edward stared forward, defiantly meeting Harvey's gaze. "I don't care about anything or anyone other than myself and my non-existent ego. Everything I've done in the past two years was to undermine you or impress some woman. Is that what you believe, Harvey?"

"It's what we know," the man said gruffly. "You're a schemer. You're a manipulator. Everyone in this courtroom knows how you operate."

"Do you?" Edward questioned. He looked over Harvey's shoulder to see Temple staring at his pocket watch with an irritated look on his face. Did the man have somewhere he needed to be? He then looked back at Harvey. "You know how the Riddler operated, Harv. You have no idea who I am anymore. That's why you brought me here instead of just killing me in my office. I'm not the man I was four years ago, and that scares you." Harvey's eye narrowed, and Edward knew he had hit a nerve. He chuckled. "No, it doesn't scare you. Seeing me bring down other Rogues, saving people, and being lauded as a hero, enrages you, doesn't it? In two years, I've made more of a positive impact than Gotham's White Knight ever did. And if someone as selfish and egotistical as you say I am can be better, than what does that say about you-" A sharp blow to the side of Edward's head cut him off mid-sentence, snapping his head to the side. Loud laughter came from the gallery as his face stun. He felt blood dribble down his chin and winced before he heard the distinctive clicking sound of a gun. He looked in front of him and froze, seeing the barrel of Harvey's gun just an inch away from him.

"We warned you the next time you got smart with us, you'd get pistol-whipped," Harvey, or rather, Big Bad Harv said. "We've heard enough. We're ready to pass judgment-"

"Wait," Temple interrupted. "There's something he's not telling us."

"What does it matter?" Edward heard Arthur ask. "He doesn't have any explanation for Bane, and he clearly doesn't repent. If he has any good reason why we shouldn't kill him, why wouldn't he say so?"

"Exactly," Temple said. "Why wouldn't he say so?" Temple stepped forward, his beady brown eyes staring intently at Edward. "All of these incidents with Rogues, the partnership with Mayor Sharp and the subsequent estrangement, what happened at City Hall...they're connected." Temple pushed Harvey aside and pointed the tip of his cane towards Edward. He was getting rather sick of things being pointed at him. "If you have anything to tell us, I would do so now. Time is running out."

Edward sighed. Temple was smarter than he gave the man credit for. Time to play his trump card. "Fine. You're right. There is something bigger going on. The person responsible for my encounters with Tetch and Bane, Sharp's crackdown, and the attack at City Hall is Hugo Strange. He's your true enemy, not me."

Harvey raised his eyebrow, Temple rubbed his chin, and Arthur just looked confused. "Hugo Strange? Who's that?"

"He's the Warden at Arkham Asylum," Harvey said. "We remember him from when Jeremiah was still in charge. He was a real son of a bitch. What does he have to do with any of this?"

Edward ran his tongue across his cut bottom lip. "It's a long story-"

"We have all the time in the world," Temple said impatiently. "Start talking."

Edward took a breath and looked up towards the balcony, hoping against hope that Selina would be there, or even Batman himself. He almost wished that there was a tracker somewhere on him. "Fine," he said curtly. He took a moment to collect himself, preparing the same version of events he'd told Gordon, minus any mentions of Ellen and Penny. "It all started last May..."

* * *

Bruce had recognized the old campaign office on sight. As he, Selina, and Cassandra entered the building, his mind flashed back to what the decrepit brick office space had been ten years earlier. The faded posters and decaying inner walls faded away, and for a moment, Bruce could see the room as it had been the night Harvey had won the Gotham DA's race, brightly lit and full of people. He could see Harvey as he had been, his handsome, unscarred face jubilant, one arm wrapped around an equally thrilled Gilda, before Maroni, before the acid, before Big Bad Harv...before. The moment was gone as quick as it had come, and memory receded into reality. There was a long, rectangular table set up in the middle of the room, with ten chairs around it. The smell of cigarette smoke hung in the air. Bruce narrowed his eyes. There had been a meeting here. He heard footsteps beside him and saw Selina and Cassandra.

"We checked the other rooms," Selina said. "No one's here. What now?"

"Someone was here recently," Bruce said. He stepped towards the table. "Harvey and the other Rogues must have met here last night about Edward."

"But they didn't bring him here," Selina sighed. Bruce looked over his shoulder and saw her wiping a hand over her face. "If they took him alive, where would they have taken him?"

"They did take him alive, Selina," Bruce reassured her. He walked back towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I have Oracle and Red Robin monitoring communications. There's been no mention of him at any of the usual Rogue dumping grounds. He's still alive, Selina."

Selina nodded, though she didn't look convinced. Despite his reassurance, Bruce himself knew that even if Edward was taken alive, the other Rogues wouldn't keep him alive for much longer.

"Batman!"

Bruce and Selina sharply turned their heads and saw Cassandra standing by a chair, a scrap of crumpled paper in her hands. "What is it?" Bruce asked as he approached her.

Cassandra squinted at the paper. "I found it on this chair. It has your name on it."

His name? Bruce took the paper from Cassandra's outstretched hand and looked it over. The words _S Wayne_ were written on the paper in clean, precise penmanship. "'S Wayne'?" he heard Selina ask. "Wait, Solomon Wayne? The Court House?"

"It has to be," Bruce said, crumpling the paper in his hand. "The other Rogues are putting Edward on trial." And he knew from experience that there was only one verdict they would come to. He pressed a finger to his in cowl communicator. "Oracle. The other Rogues took Edward to the Solomon Wayne Courthouse. Selina, Cassandra, and I are on our way now."

_"Got it. I'll send a message to my Dad and have him close off the streets around the courthouse."_

"Good. I'll let you know when we arrive at the courthouse. Batman out." Bruce cut off the communication and turned to the two women standing beside him. "Let's go."

* * *

Razor spat out his tobacco onto the sidewalk, then took a look at his watch. It was 4:45. He and Barb Wire, his 'comrade in arms', should have met the other gang members at the courthouse half an hour ago. Barb Wire wanted drinks though. And then, of course, nature called. Razor rolled his eyes. "Jesus Christ!" He shouted into the Park Row alleyway he parked the car next to. "How long does it take to take a piss!?" There was no response. Razor scowled. If he missed the boss plugging Riddler's smug ass, he'd be pissed. "Fuck this," he muttered. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stomped into the alley. The alleyway was dark, only barely lit by the setting sun. As he walked into the alley, Razor realized that he couldn't see or hear Barb Wire. "Dude, where are you?" No sooner did he ask did he see a mass lying halfway down the alley. Razor leaned down, then jumped when he recognized Barb Wire. "Jesus!" he cried. The back of the man's head had been blown off. Razor pulled out his handgun, then looked wildly around the alley. Who had done it? He hadn't even heard a gunshot, who the fuck had-

"Look up."

Razor looked up and dropped his handgun to the pavement. Standing on a fire escape, his sniper rifle aimed directly at him was the Red Hood. Razor felt his legs begin to shake. What the Fuck was he even doing in this part of town? He never left the Narrows! 

"I've only got one question for you," Red Hood asked. "Where's Edward Nigma?"

Razor gulped. "The courthouse! The boss took him to the old courthouse! He and the other Rogues are going to put him on trial for all the crap he's pulled!"

"You don't say," Red Hood drawled, never lowering his gun. "Who are the other Rogues?"

"Cluemaster, Killer Moth, Firefly, and Clock King!"

"Anyone else involved? Cobblepot?"

"Black Mask sent a guy to sit in!" Razor shouted his hands up in the air. "It's the truth! I swear!" 

"I believe you," Red Hood said. He nodded towards the alleyway entrance. "Tell everyone else in your sewing club that from now on, Ed Nigma's off-limits. You got it?" Razor nodded. "Good boy. Ten-second headstart." Razor turned on his heel and ran.

* * *

"...And that brings us to now when you so graciously had your men kidnap me from my office and bring me to a mock trial," Edward finished his tale. While he had recounted the story, the court had remained quiet. Edward paused to gauge the reactions of the men who were before him. He couldn't see Walker and Lynns' reactions through their mask, but they were leaned forward in their chairs. Arthur, much to Edward's satisfaction, had paled and was now looking at his hands. Temple's face was drawn, his eyes beady and dark. Harvey stood still, the two halves of his face alternating between skepticism at the beginning, surprise, and finally, anger. "Any other questions?" Edward asked.

Harvey sucked in a deep breath. "So you mean to tell us that everything that's happened in the past two years was a pissing match between you and Hugo Strange, and the rest of us have just been caught in the middle of it?"

"Well, that's a crude way of putting it," Edward scolded. "But essentially, yes." There was another pause as the Rogues began to speak to each other. The men in the gallery began to murmur behind them, and Edward looked back up to the balconies. Still no sign of a cat, or any bats. Hopefully, their absence was because they were looking after Penny and Ellen. His heart clenched as he thought of his lover and his daughter. He was so close to having everything he had ever wanted, and now here he was, hoping that his former colleagues would decide that Strange was a bigger threat than he was. He wet his lip, though it stung. Finally, he saw Harvey turn back to face him.

"If what you're telling us is true," he growled. "Then everything Strange has had Sharp do is on you."

Edward's jaw dropped. "Are you serious, Harvey!?" he yelled. "Whatever Strange's end goal is, he's been working at it for years! The only reason that he hasn't gone any further is because of me! You should be grateful! I'm the only thing standing between you and Strange!"

"And what about after Strange?" Harvey asked. "If you take him down, do you expect us to believe that you'll stop this hero shit? You said yourself, you're not the person you were four years ago." Harvey raised his gun and Edward's heart began to race. "That's too much of a risk for us."

"Harvey," Temple said. "Think about the bigger picture."

"Temple's right," Arthur interjected. "If Ed's right, then Strange is going to come after all of us. Maybe we should just let it go, try to work out a deal with Ed-"

"District Attorney Dent makes no deals," Harvey said, his eyes never leaving Edward's. "We find the defendant, Edward Nigma, guilty as charged." A loud cheer went up from the gallery and Edward's stomach dropped. He should have known that Harvey was too irrational to reason with. A grin came over the former district attorney's face. "We sentence you to death." Lynns began to cackle at the prosecutor's table. "Garfield will torch your office when we're done. As for Strange, maybe delivering him your body will get him to back off."

"There's no negotiation with Hugo Strange," Edward warned. "It won't matter if you serve me up to him on a silver platter. He'll just wait until your back is turned and plunge the knife in."

"Just like you," Harvey said. He stepped forward, and Temple of all people looked almost panicked. Harvey stopped at the front of the witness well and put his gun dead center against Edward's forehead. "Any last words? Would you like to call your Arkham chickadee to say goodbye?"

Even an indirect mention of Penny made Edward's blood boil. He spat in Harvey's face. Harvey howled in rage and slugged Edward in the face. Edward almost fell backward from the force of the punch. It felt like his nose was broken. Edward sat dazed, his head leaned back looking up towards the balcony...where he caught a movement. Was he seeing things? A figure stepped forward from the shadows. A female figure, in a sleek catsuit. Beside her, Edward caught sight of a large shadow, with a familiar cowl. Edward smiled and shook his head. About damn time. He began to laugh.

"What the fuck is so funny!?" Harvey demanded.

Edward looked back at Harvey's enraged face and grinned, though it hurt to do so. "Riddle me this," he said. "Why is this man smiling?" He nodded to the figures on the balcony. As one, the Rogues turned.

"Oh shit!" Arthur shouted. "It's the Bat!"

Almost on cue, Batman threw small pellets from his belt towards the courtroom below. Edward threw himself hard to the right, sending him and the chair to the floor. Pandemonium ensued.


	10. Whatever I Have To Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Edward's trial forces him to reconsider an offer.

As soon as Edward had hit the floor of the witness well, he heard the telltale hissing sound of Batman's smoke pellets, followed by the shouts and coughs of the gang members that had crowded the gallery. He lay dazed for only a moment before he turned his attention to his bound wrists. The impact of the chair hitting the floor had loosened the knot, but he wasn't free yet. Edward flexed his wrists against the rope, ignoring the sounds of mayhem that filled the courtroom. At last, he felt one knot give way. Almost there-

"No, you don't." Edward looked up to see Harvey glaring down at him, his gun pointed directly at his head. "You're not leaving this courthouse alive," the Rogue growled, his faces twisted in rage and a sick triumph. "Bat or no Bat." 

Edward swallowed thickly. This wasn't how it would end. It couldn't be. "Aren't you supposed to flip for it?"

"We flipped for it a long time ago," Harvey replied. "Tell Crane we send our regards." As he was just about to pull the trigger, the gun was yanked out of his hands by a long, thin, familiar object with a loud snap. Harvey grabbed his hand and howled in pain before the end of a whip wrapped around his neck and he was pulled to the ground.

"Do yourself a favor and stay down, Harv," Edward heard Selina's voice say. A moment later the woman herself appeared in his line of sight, looking down at him with a smirk. He was too happy to see her be annoyed by it. "Eddie, Eddie, Eddie," she tutted. "We're going to need to get you a bodyguard for Christmas."

"Very funny," Edward groused. He wiggled his bound wrists. "A little help?"

Selina hopped the partition and crouched down in the well, slicing Edward's bonds with a swipe of her claws. Edward pushed himself up to his knees and began rubbing his wrists. "You alright?" Selina asked.

Edward ran his tongue across his split lip and winced. "Never mind me," he said, looking at Selina. "Where are Ellen and Penny?"

"They're safe," his friend reassured him. "I dropped Doc off at GCPD before I met up with Batman, and Batgirl's keeping an eye on Ellie at her Grandma's." Edward let out a long sigh of relief before the sounds of mayhem reached him. He looked over the well to see that most of the gang members had sensibly fled when Batman announced his presence. The dozen or so who remained and were conscious were in the process of being chased around by Black Bat. Batman himself had already taken down Killer Moth and was in the process of disabling Firefly's flame thrower. Fugate sat calmly at the prosecutor's table with his hands up, not even bothering to put up a fight. Something about that nagged at Edward, but before he could think more on it, he caught Arthur hiding under the table. Their eyes met, and Arthur visibly paled. _Not so smug now are you?_ He scrambled to his feet, running towards a side exit. 

"Oh no, you don't," Edward growled, getting to his feet. He picked up the chair he had been tied to.

"Eddie," Selina asked. "You sure you want to join in?"

"Of course I'm sure," Edward answered. "I can't let you and Batman fight my battles for me. I do have a reputation to preserve."

"Just making sure," Selina said. "Let's get that son of a bitch." The two hopped over the witness well and began pursuing Arthur, Edward holding the chair out like a club.

* * *

As soon as Batman and his cohorts had appeared, Mr. Li was out the courthouse door, along with the vast majority of the lower class criminals that the Rogues employed. He ran to the side alley to the left of the courthouse where the car was parked and the driver was waiting. Li dove into the car, pulled out his cell phone, and dialed Sionis. _"What's going on?"_ Sionis asked, picking up on the first ring. _"Is Nigma dead?"_

"No," Li panted. "Dent drew it out too long. Batman's at the courthouse."

_"God Dammit! Trust the freaks to fuck things up! I should have put a hit out on Riddle Boy back when that shit with Bane went down. Okay, get back here. I'm going to call a meeting of the senior lieutenants."_

"Understood sir," Li said. He looked up towards the driver, about to tell him to start the car when he heard a tapping on his window. He looked up, and he felt the blood drain from his face. Red Hood was standing outside, holding his gun against the passenger window. With his free hand, he gestured for Li to roll down the window. Li hesitated, looking to the driver only to see him sitting frozen in the driver's seat, paralyzed with fear. Li gulped, then rolled down the passenger window.

"And here I thought I'd missed all the fun," Red Hood drawled. He gestured toward Li's cellphone with the barrel of his gun. "Is that Roman on the phone? Put him on speaker."

Li did as Red Hood ordered, and soon, Roman's voice could be heard shouting through the phone's speakers. _"Li! Where the Hell did you go!?"_

"Roman!" Red Hood shouted. "Been a long time! How's your office?"

There was a long pause before Li's employer spoke again. _"What the Hell are you doing here, Hood? This ain't any of your business!"_

"I'm making it my business," Red Hood said. His grip tightened around the handle of his pistol and Li felt beads of sweat on his brow. "This is your first and only warning: Ed Nigma's off-limits."

 _"Or else what?"_ Roman asked defiantly. Li resisted the urge to slap his forehead. Not three years ago, the vigilante standing beside him had all but crippled their business. Had Roman forgotten that or was he trying to save face? He couldn't see the man's facial expression through that red helmet, but he let out a dry chuckle.

"Bad choice of words, Roman," Red Hood said. Without warning, he aimed his gun towards the front seat and fired, blowing the driver's brains out all over the dashboard. Li jumped and clapped a hand over his mouth, fighting to keep the bile at bay. "That was the sound of a Desert Eagle killing your driver. The next bullet's got the name of your right-hand man on it. Let me repeat myself in a way even you can understand, Roman: if you or anyone in your organization comes near Ed Nigma again, I'm going to finish what I started three years ago. Do I make myself clear?"

Li screwed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. He realized that the hand that was holding the cell phone was trembling. Finally, he heard his employer speak. _"Fine. You got it. Nigma's off-limits."_

Li opened his eyes and watched Red Hood holster his pistol. "Good answer."

 _"I just gotta know one thing,"_ Roman said. _"Why do you care about Nigma?"_

Red Hood shrugged. "Maybe I'm the sentimental type and I can't resist a redemption story. Maybe I want to take the smug son of a bitch out myself someday. Or maybe it's none of your goddamn business." He gave Li a short wave. "Later, Roman." Li watched as Red Hood pulled a grappling hook out of his jacket and fire it up at the rooftop, disappearing as soon as he appeared.

Li sat against the leather seat of the car, his entire body trembling. _"Jesus fucking Christ,"_ he heard Roman say. _"First Batman, now Red Hood? What the fuck's going on? Since when did Nigma become the center of the goddamn universe?"_

"I have no idea," Li said. He took a breath to compose himself. "I'm on my way back now." He didn't wait for Roman to say anything before he hung up the phone and opened the passenger door. He needed to dump the driver's body and then get as far away from here as he could. Whatever Nigma was involved in with Batman and Red Hood, it didn't bode well.

* * *

Edward pushed a bruised and bound Arthur towards the front of the courtroom. The fight had ended at this point, and Edward couldn't deny that he enjoyed stepping over the limp bodies of the same gangbangers who had been hooting and hollering at him less than two hours earlier. Batman and Black Bat had gathered the other Rogues on the floor in front of the judge's bench, and Edward shoved Arthur down to join them. Batman turned to him and looked almost taken aback by his no doubt bruised appearance. "Are you alright, Edward?" he asked.

Edward frowned at the concern in the vigilante's voice. The last thing he needed now was for him to say 'I told you so', or worse, his pity. "Oh, just wonderful," he said curtly. "I'm always in fine spirits when I'm abducted and put on trial by the same bunch of maniacs I used to share living space with!"

"Eddie," Selina warned. "Be nice."

Edward ignored her, choosing instead to turn his attention to the Rogues on the ground in front of him. Harvey was glaring at him, while Arthur averted his eyes. While Walker and Lynns were still masked, he did not doubt that they were angry with him too. Only Fugate seemed utterly indifferent. Finally, Edward began to slowly clap. "Well done," he mocked the fallen Rogues. "Did you enjoy getting that out of your systems? I hope you did. Before today, I was perfectly content to leave you alone and let you do as you pleased, as long as you stayed away from me and mine. Now?" Edward stopped clapping and lowered his voice by a few degrees. "Now, you mental midgets just guaranteed that as soon as my business with Strange is concluded, I'll be turning my full attention to you. There's a little concept called the self-fulfilling prophecy. You would have done well to read up on it before you launched your attack on me."

Harvey said nothing, though his face became red. To his left, Lynns just laughed. "Batman's not always gonna be there to pull your ass out of the fire, Eddie," he taunted. "Go ahead, send us to Blackgate and Arkham. It'll just make it easier for us to find your little bitch."

In an instant, Edward went from simmering anger to a full-blooded rage. He considered attacking Lynns, but then looked at Harvey and stopped himself. Harvey was the major power player here. Cut him down, and the rest would follow, and he knew just what to do. He directly addressed Harvey, "2720 Woodvale Way, Rochester New York."

Out of the corner of his eye, Edward thought he saw Batman stiffen. Harvey however, just looked confused. "What the fuck are you on about?"

Edward chuckled. "That address doesn't mean anything to you? I'm surprised. It's the current residence of one Grace Lamont. You may know her better as Gilda Dent." Edward watched in satisfaction as the unscarred half of Harvey's face turned white. "When I said earlier that I hadn't spared the lot of you a single thought since I reformed, that was true, but also somewhat misleading. As I was piecing the broken shards of my life together, I realized that I'd burned a lot of bridges and that my choice to reform may bring consequences. I also realized that to mitigate or prevent the lot of you from getting any ideas, I needed leverage. Yours was the easiest to find." Edward leaned down slightly, making sure Harvey and everyone else in that room knew how serious he was. "This is the Nuclear Deterrent, Harv. If you, if any of your men, if anyone in this room so much as breathes within 500 feet of me and mine, all I need to do is make one phone call, and the tabloids will be at her front door in an hour."

A look of anguish came over both of Harvey's faces, and Edward felt a supreme satisfaction. "Enough Edward," Batman growled in warning. Edward ignored him, instead turning to the pale face of Arthur.

"And how about you, Arthur?" he asked. "Are there any secrets of yours you'd like to share with the rest of us?" Arthur's blue eyes went wide in fear and then in anger, and in a flash, Edward remembered something. Another pair of angry blue eyes, a young blonde girl with Arthur's eyes, constantly underfoot, spoiling his crimes...a girl in purple...a girl in a cape and cowl lying bleeding on the pavement, having taken a bullet for his daughter. A girl who even now was looking after his daughter. A heavy hand on his shoulder brought Edward back to the present. He turned to see Batman glaring at him.

"Enough," the vigilante said. "You've more than proven your point. Get out of here, Edward."

Edward pulled away from Batman's grip and faced the Rogues one last time. Arthur was looking at his feet, while Harvey ground his teeth. "You wouldn't," Harvey growled. "You wouldn't dare go near my wife."

"As I said during my 'trial', you have no idea who I am or what I'm capable of anymore," Edward warned. "Whatever I have to do to keep me and mine safe, I will do it, even if it means I have to burn you to the ground. Remember that, Harv." Before Batman could move towards him again, Edward sharply turned on his heel, walking towards the front entrance, Selina at his heels. As he walked past, he noticed that some of the goons had come to and were looking up at him with wide, fearful eyes. Edward smirked down at them as he passed. Let them fear him. Let them remember what happened when they crossed the man who was the Riddler.

* * *

Gordon and GCPD were outside the courthouse when Bruce and Cassandra emerged with the Rogues. Gordon and Edward were in an intense conversation, while Selina had made herself scarce. Fugate, Brown, Walker, and Lynns were swiftly taken into police cruisers. Due to their personal history, Bruce was allowed to take Harvey into the Batmobile and deliver him to GCPD personally, Mayor Sharp and his commission be damned. Harvey was silent as Bruce loaded him into the back of the Batmobile. As soon as they left the Courthouse though, Harvey spoke. "Nigma told us what's been going on with him and Strange. Is that true?"

Bruce almost slammed the brakes on the Batmobile. "He told you?"

Harvey let out a resigned chuckle. "So it's true then. Are you and Nigma working together? Even after all the shit he's pulled?"

Bruce relaxed his grip on the steering wheel and stopped at a red light. "It's what needs to be done, Harvey. Strange is a danger to the entire city."

"And yet, you're sending us right into his clutches."

"You didn't leave me any other choice. You were about to murder Nigma."

"He's a threat to us," Harvey argued. "You heard what he said about Gilda! One phone call, and he'll ruin her life!"

Bruce sighed. Even though he knew Edward had said so to protect Dr. Young, the fact that he even tracked Gilda down was disturbing. "He was bluffing. I'd never let that happen and you know it."

Harvey chuckled again. "We all know he wasn't." Bruce heard his friend let out a long sigh, then his old voice, the voice he'd used as Gotham's White Night spoke. "If you think Strange is the greater threat, then you do what you have to do, but the man we just saw in the courtroom? The man that threatened my Gilda? That's the real Edward Nigma. No matter how many of us he takes down, no matter how much this city calls him a hero, don't ever forget that. Don't ever trust Edward Nigma."

Bruce said nothing, pressing the gas when the light turned green. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cassandra staring at him with a thoughtful look on her face. She raised her hands and signed, _do you trust him?_

Bruce had no answer for her.

* * *

Commissioner Gordon had been courteous enough to not only give Edward a ride to GCPD, but he'd also lent the man his cell phone so that he could call Ellen to ensure her of his safety. "I'm alright, sweetheart," Edward spoke. He and Gordon were standing beneath the tree in GCPD's front parking lot, Gordon standing a respectful distance away. Far enough to give Edward privacy, but close enough to keep an eye out. "I'm at GCPD now. I need to give the Commissioner my statement, and then I'll be on my way home."

 _"Ok,"_ Ellen said on the other end. She sounded dangerously close to crying. _"They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?"_

"Just a few cuts and bruises," Edward assured her. That was what the paramedics at the courthouse had said, though they had warned of the possibility of a concussion thanks to Harvey's pistol. He'd refused to go to a hospital though. "I managed to leave a few bruises of my own if that makes you feel any better."

 _"I guess,"_ Ellen said glumly. _"I wish I could have tried to help you, but Batgirl was watching me."_

"And a good thing she was," Edward said, pushing his conflicting feelings about her aside. "Ellen, the last thing I'd ever want is for you to follow me into danger like that."

_"I know Dad, I know. I just...I'm sick of you being in danger, and not being able to do anything about it."_

"I know, Ellen," Edward sighed. "Occupational hazard, I'm afraid. Listen, I'll probably be busy dealing with the fallout of this tomorrow, but I'll try to come to see you later this week. Is that alright?"

_"Yeah. Just be careful, ok Dad? If Batgirl comes back and tells me you got in trouble again, I'm gonna beat your ass."_

"What a sweet, affectionate child it is," Edward teased. "Alright, I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye Ellen, I love you."

 _"Love you too, Dad. Bye."_ Edward hung up, then walked over to Gordon to give the Commissioner his phone back. The two men walked together into GCPD, passing Aaron Cash on their way past the bullpen.

"Damn Nigma," Cash said, shaking his head. "Never a dull moment with you, is there?"

"But of course not," Edward quipped. He scanned the bullpen and the surrounding rooms for any sign of Penny. Selina had said that she'd dropped her off here, where was she? He continued to follow Gordon to the elevator, and then out into the hallway that led to his office. Gordon opened the door, and Edward entered the office, only to stop in his tracks. Penny was there, sitting in a chair in front of Gordon's desk. When she made eye contact with him, she got to her feet, her ice-blue eyes wide as they took him in.

"I'll just let the two of you have a few minutes," Edward heard Gordon say. "I need to see to the Rogues." Edward barely heard the door close, but when it did, he rushed to Penny, who met him halfway, her hands going to his face.

"Jesus, Eddie!" she breathed out, her fingers gently tracing his jaw, her eyes taking in every small cut and bruise. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, darling," Edward soothed, wrapping his arms around her. He shut his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair. "This wasn't exactly how I wanted to see you again."

"What happened?" Penny asked. "All I heard was that some of the Rogues had kidnapped you. What did they want?"

"To put me on trial," Edward answered. He pulled away from her enough to be able to look at her confused face. "Apparently, they believed that I somehow betrayed them by reforming and bringing down a few of them, never mind my actual reasons for doing so!" He rolled his eyes. "Morons. All of them."

Penny nodded, then turned her attention back to his face. "God," she murmured. "Did you get checked out for this?"

"Yes," Edward sighed. "It's nothing I haven't dealt with before, just a few cuts and bruises." He chuckled. "You should see what I did to Cluemaster!" This apparently was the wrong thing to say as Penny jerked out of his embrace.

"Don't you _dare_ make light of this, Edward Nigma!" she hissed, her face flushed with anger. "I've been here for over two hours, not knowing if you were alive or dead! Your daughter was at home, not knowing if you were alive or dead!" She shook her head. "It hasn't even been three days since I told you that I love you and I almost lost you, we almost-" her voice broke, and she angrily wiped her eyes. "Don't you understand what that would do to us, what that would do to me?"

Any irritation Edward felt at being yelled at was beaten by the guilt as he saw tears form in his lover's eyes. He sighed, then stepped forward. "Come here, Penny." He gently drew her back in an embrace. She hesitated for only a moment before she buried her face into his chest and clung on tightly. He rested his chin on top of her head and rocked her. "You really were worried about me, weren't you?"

"Of course I was," Penny said. "I told you Friday and Saturday that I knew that there was an inherent danger in what you do, in who you are, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Of course not," Edward soothed, rubbing her back. She wasn't like him, or Jonathan, or Selina. Having a bad encounter with the Rogues could just be chalked up to just another, if exciting, day in Edward's world. That was not her world, and he had no intention of her becoming used to Rogues and their shenanigans, not as long as he drew breath-

_"Next time, you might not be so lucky. Think about Dr. Young. Think about your daughter. If you're gone, who will look after them?"_

Batman's words from two nights ago came crashing down on him. He had almost died. Perhaps it wasn't by Strange's hand, but he could have died that day and left Penny and Ellen alone. If he died, Strange and his minions would waste no time dispatching Penny. If he died, what would stop Ellen from putting on that damn costume and getting herself killed? He'd survived today, but now Harvey Dent was on his way back to Arkham Asylum, back to Hugo Strange. What would stop Strange from using Dent, or any of the other Rogues he had in his power against him? He clung to Penny tight and kissed the top of her head. How could he protect her, protect Ellen, from Strange _and_ the Rogues? Could he?

"After you give your statement to Gordon, you're staying with me tonight," Penny ordered. "I'm not letting you out of my sight for the rest of the week."

Edward smiled, despite the thoughts whirling in his head. "You really do love me, don't you?"

Penny smiled, even though it didn't reach her eyes. "You know that I do." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, careful to avoid any bruises. When she was finished, Edward leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. The pair stayed together until Gordon returned to his office, taking solace in each other.

* * *

Brown, Lynns, and Walker had been taken off to Blackgate minutes after they were processed at GCPD. Fugate however, had been kept longer, pending transport to return him to federal custody. Bruce and Cassandra watched from the adjacent building as Fugate was led out of GCPD, his hands and feet shackled, and loaded into the back of a dark transport vehicle. The doors were shut as soon as Fugate was inside, and the two federal officers were called back into GCPD to deal with some 'last-minute paperwork', as Gordon put it. Which gave Bruce a limited window to interrogate the man. It was risky, but he'd known the second he'd seen Fugate at the Courthouse that something was going on. And he would find out what. "Should I come too?" Cassandra asked.

"No," Bruce answered. "Stay here and keep a lookout. I won't be long." Once the federal agents were out of sight, Bruce dropped down from the rooftop, taking advantage of the darkness to creep up to the back of the van. When he was confident that no one was in sight, he opened the doors.

Fugate didn't appear surprised to see him. "I suspected that you were somehow behind the delay in my transport," he said. "Usually when you conduct interrogations, you're able to enter GCPD. Has that changed?"

"What are you doing here, Fugate?" Bruce asked. "You've been in federal prison for the last five years."

"Five years, three months, two weeks, and five days to be precise," Fugate said. "And if you're here, you must have deduced something by now."

Bruce narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. "There's been no word of your escape. I found a note in Two Face's hideout that had the words 'S Wayne' written on them, in very clean, precise handwriting. Your handwriting, Fugate. You're not that sloppy or careless, which means that you wanted me to find you. And when I arrived at the courthouse, you didn't put up any resistance. You weren't involved in this to get back at Nigma. You needed information from him."

Fugate showed no reaction, except perhaps boredom. "Brilliantly worked out, as usual. Yes, it's true. I have no personal animosity towards Mr. Nigma, despite his eccentricities. The incident with Bane this past summer didn't just cause a stir in Gotham you know. Certain other parties also showed some concern."

Now the moment of truth. "Would these 'certain other parties' include Amanda Waller and Task Force X?"

Fugate's expression didn't change. "I was sent to Gotham City three months ago to find out the truth of the matter. Nigma informed us during his 'trial' of his encounters with Hugo Strange. Can I assume that what he said was accurate?"

Bruce folded his arms. "That depends on what Waller intends to do with this information."

At this, Fugate shrugged. "You're aware of the current political situation in Washington, regarding the removal of President Luthor. What goes on in Gotham City is not considered a high priority. The night of the attack on City Hall, however, Waller did convey a message to me that she instructed I pass onto you: at this point, she is in no position to assist you. However, if you can keep Nigma in line, she will also not impede you."

Bruce gripped Fugate by the lapel of his brown jacket and pulled him forward. "You tell Waller," he growled, "That if she sends another member of Task Force X into my city behind my back again, then I'll be coming for her next."

"Noted," Fugate said peevishly. "Now if you don't mind, I believe my guards will be arriving in a matter of seconds. You'd best retreat." Bruce let go of Fugate and quickly made his way out of the van and back onto the rooftop, where Cassandra was waiting for him.

"What did Fugate say?" she asked.

"He confirmed what I suspected: Amanda Waller sent him to find out what Edward's been up to the last two years."

Cassandra cocked her head. "What now?"

Bruce gestured for her to follow him. "We need to debrief with the others back at the manor. Tomorrow night, I'm going to speak to Edward again." If what had happened today wasn't enough to convince him that they needed to work together, Bruce wasn't sure what could.

* * *

Penny had been as good as her word. As soon as Edward had given his statement, she'd driven him back to his office and to his apartment to pack up his phone, laptop, toiletries, and a few changes of clothes, then followed him in her car as he drove back to her apartment. Once the pair were inside, she'd spent the rest of the evening hovering over him, making sure that he wasn't exhibiting any signs of a concussion. Edward had to gently nag her into finally going to bed at around two in the morning. Once in bed, it hadn't taken long for her to rest her head against his chest and hold on tightly to him as if he was her life preserver. Edward himself did not sleep. He kept watching over her, watching her as she slept, and rubbed his hand up and down her back. He looked to the clock on her nightstand. It was now 3:30 am. Twelve hours ago, gunmen had stormed into his office and had taken him to the Rogues, who almost murdered him. He looked down at Penny again. The phone call that he'd had with her might have been the last time he'd ever spoken to her. As if she could read his thoughts, Penny clung on tighter to him, murmuring something in her sleep that might have been his name. What was she dreaming? Watching him die?

Edward sighed and looked up to the ceiling. _"Think about Dr. Young. Think about your daughter. If you're gone, who will look after them?"_ He was the cleverest man in Gotham City, one of the cleverest men in the entire world, and some jumped up maniacs had taken him by surprise and nearly killed him. He'd been so focused on Hugo Strange for so long, he'd forgotten just how dangerous the other Rogues could be, and now he had a target on his head. His threat against Gilda Dent might be enough to keep Harvey and the lower level Rogues at bay for the time being, but Sionis? Harley? God forbid, Joker? Hell, he wasn't even sure where he and Oswald stood now. If Oswald did decide to cut him off completely, what then? Could he investigate Strange and fend off the other Rogues at the same time? Could he continue his work and look after Ellen and Penny at the same time?

 _"Whatever I need to be to keep them safe and happy, that's what I'll be,"_ was what he'd told Oswald, and he'd meant every word. If he needed to be Gotham's new hero or Harvey Dent's worst nightmare, so be it, but what if it wasn't enough? What if he alone wasn't enough to keep Ellen and Penny safe? He wasn't the only one who had protected them, he realized. There was someone else who had, someone who had done so even that same day. Someone who despite everything that had happened between them, could always be counted on to keep them safe.

Edward shut his eyes and swallowed an irritated sigh. "Whatever I need to do," he whispered. "Whatever I need to do."

* * *

The next afternoon, just as the sun was beginning to set, Edward was finishing packing up the manila file that he and Penny had spent the day putting together. Penny herself watched him, her arms folded across her chest. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asked.

Edward put the file in his briefcase and shut it. "I'm sure," he said. "I'd rather you not witness any fireworks that might happen tonight." He picked the briefcase off of the dining room table and walked up to where she was standing by the front door. "Well," he said. "Here I go."

Penny nodded, then reached up to cup his face. "You're doing the right thing, Eddie."

"I know," he said crossly. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Penny rolled her eyes, then a serious look came over her face. "You come back to me tonight."

"Always," he assured her. He leaned down and the pair shared a gentle kiss. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment, before he pulled away and walked to the front door.

It was dark by the time Edward made it back to his apartment. Gordon had kept a police car on the street to watch for any signs of trouble that day, but it was gone when Edward pulled up. He entered his apartment with his briefcase in one hand and his trick cane in the other, turned on his living room light, sat at his dining room table, and waited. He didn't have to wait long. Ten minutes after he'd arrived, Edward heard the sound of his kitchen window opening and watched as a dark black figure entered his apartment. "I wasn't sure you'd be here," Batman said.

"I'm just full of surprises," Edward sassed. Batman opened his mouth when Edward raised his hand to cut him off. "Before you ask, yes, yesterday's events did force me to reconsider your offer." Edward took a breath. What he was about to say could not be taken back. "I agree to work with you in the matter of Hugo Strange. However, I have a few conditions." He raised a finger. "One: I am not your subordinate. I will not simply sit here and take orders from you. If this is a partnership, then this is a partnership."

Batman set his jaw. "That goes both ways, Edward," he said. "You need to listen to me. No unilateral decisions. There's too much at stake for us to fight over your ego."

"I don't have an ego," Edward bit out. At Batman's less than impressed expression, he deflated. "Fine. Second, my daughter is not to be involved in the investigation in any way. Unless there is an imminent threat to her safety, I don't want you or any of your minions around her."

The vigilante nodded. "I understand. And Dr. Young?"

Edward sucked in a quick breath. "You can speak to her if it's a matter that directly concerns her or if you require her particular expertise, but never without me being present. Is that clear?"

Batman's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "I have a few conditions for you as well," Batman stepped forward. "No secrets. Whatever you find out during the investigation you share it with me. Also, you do not directly confront Strange or Sharp, no matter what might happen. Finally, you have to be on your absolute best behavior. Strange and Sharp are going to look for any excuse to discredit you or put you away. Don't give them any ammunition to work with."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to. Was there anything else?"

Batman's posture softened somewhat. "A lot has happened between us over the years. Despite that though, I want to be able to trust you, Edward. Can you try to trust me?"

Edward looked down at his hands. Could he? "I'll try," he said. He picked his briefcase off the floor, put it on his dining room table, and opened it. He pulled out the manilla file and placed it in the center of the table. "This is all the information that myself and Dr. Young have uncovered during the course of our investigation, summarized." He gestured for Batman to take the seat across from him. "Well, partner? Shall we begin?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap for our first major arc of part six! God, that took a lot longer to get out that I wanted. I'm sorry for the delay and I hope you enjoyed it!


	11. Clearing the Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon is taken to task by Mayor Sharp, while Edward and Oswald have a meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Year, new arc. Stay safe everybody.

_Wednesday, December 4th, 2008_

More than anything, Gordon thought, he could use a smoke right now. More than once, he was tempted to reach into his pocket and light up his pipe, but the watchful eyes of Sharp's secretary stayed his hand. He'd been in the waiting room outside the Mayor's office for what seemed like an eternity, but a look at his watch told him it had only been ten minutes. Ha had called Sharp Monday evening after the Rogues had been processed and he was apoplectic about their attack on Nigma, and more importantly, why he had not been brought in the loop immediately. It had been so tempting to throw what Strange had done to Nigma in August back into Sharp's face, but part of being the police commissioner was knowing when to stay his tongue. With everything that he had learned the last few days, however...Gordon was almost grateful for the extra time in the waiting room, so he could think about how he was going to get through this meeting without leaping over the desk and strangling Sharp. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and frowned at the person who appeared. "Bolton."

Lyle Bolton looked smug in his new black security suit. "Morning, Commish," he drawled. "Long time no see." He jerked his thumb towards the open door. "Mayor Sharp's ready for you." The man's beady dark eyes narrowed. "And he's pissed. You'd better have a damn good explanation for what Riddle Boy did."

Gordon got up from the chair he'd been sitting in and rose to his full height, fixing Bolton with a glare of his own. "Mayor Sharp can be as angry as he wants, but I don't answer to you, Bolton."

Bolton smirked. "We'll see. By the way," he leered, "How's poor Doc Young doing?"

Gordon clenched his fists and willed himself not to react. He wondered how Bolton would react if he told him about Penelope's new relationship, and that mental image helped calm him down. "She's just fine, Bolton. Now, if you don't mind?" Bolton shrugged and moved from the door frame, allowing Gordon to enter. "By the way," Gordon asked when the two men were side to side, "Were you ever able to get your car out of impound?" Gordon had to suppress a smirk of his own as Bolton glowered, then entered Sharp's office.

The mayor was sitting behind his desk, a dark glare on his round face. "Commissioner," he hissed out. 

Gordon gave him a respectful nod of acknowledgment. "Mayor Sharp." He heard the door shut behind him, then turned when he heard Bolton's heavy footsteps. Gordon turned back to face the mayor with his brow furrowed. "I was under the impression that this was a private meeting."

"Anything we have to say can be discussed around Mr. Bolton," Sharp said matter of factly. "He is my new personal security chief, after all."

Terrific. That was just what he needed, Gordon thought. A thug like Bolton in that position of power. "Very well," he forced himself to say. "It's your meeting."

Sharp sucked in a quick breath. "First of all," he said, his face reddening. "Given the events of last Friday, why was it that I was not informed of an incident involving the Rogues until _after_ the incident was resolved!? I am the Mayor of this City! I should have been notified immediately!"

"It was a rapidly evolving situation, Mayor Sharp," Gordon said calmly. "And it was over in under two hours. As far as I've been able to determine, the only target of the Rogues we took into custody was Edward Nigma. I felt that given the attacks, it was best to keep as tight a lid as possible on the situation to prevent a panic. The people of Gotham have been through enough."

The Mayor wasn't impressed by this explanation if his pinched face was any indication. "I see," he ground out. "I see. Were you trying to prevent a panic, or were you trying to cover up the fact that once again, your giving _that man_ carte blanche wreaked havoc on this city!?"

Gordon ignored Bolton's snicker and fixed a glare on Sharp. "That man, Mayor Sharp, is the only reason that the building we're in is still standing. I think he deserves a little more gratitude." He watched as the man's already red face turned purple, and he hoped more than anything that the Mayor would crack. _Admit it, you son of a bitch_ , Gordon thought. _You wanted this building and everyone in it to come down. Give me a reason to put you away._ Sharp took a deep breath, and his face soon resumed its normal color.

"I've heard enough about Edward Nigma for one lifetime," Sharp grumbled. "Where are you on the investigation into Detective Schrader?"

Gordon was struck by the vehemence with which Sharp spoke the detective's name. Was the Mayor not as involved as he, Batman, Nigma, and Penelope believed- _Penelope._ Sharp had been overly paternalistic of her since before he was Mayor. He didn't know that she was a target. He could use that. "I've been working closely with Internal Affairs this past week," he said. "They've been looking into who else he may have been working with within GCPD. As of now, however, we haven't come up with any names."

Sharp nodded. "What about Detective Montoya?" he asked. "She was Schrader's partner, wasn't she?"

"She was cleared by IAB almost immediately," Gordon said. She'd been taking the attacks the hardest out of all his officers. "We've also discovered a link between Schrader and the theft of the TITAN drug in GCPD's lockup last Summer."

Sharp looked surprised. "He was responsible for that? I was under the impression it was stolen by an Officer Alvarez. Isn't that what you told me?"

"It was, but we have reason to believe that he did so at the behest of Detective Schrader." Now it was time to play the trump card. "Also," he said as neutrally as he could. "The City Hall attack was not the first time Schrader targeted Dr. Young." Sharp's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull and Gordon knew he had him. "We believe he was responsible for breaking into her apartment and causing her to go into hiding after the TITAN was stolen."

Sharp's face turned ashen and he stared down at his hands. "I see," he murmured. "I see." He was silent for a long time, and Gordon took the opportunity to look at Bolton out of the corner of his eye. The man was like a stone mass, his face blank, his large fists clenched at his sides. He looked back to Sharp to see him shake his head. "That all being said," he said in his usual, pompous tone, "I was expecting more progress!" He narrowed his eyes. "The City Council will be meeting in a special session on Monday. I expect to hear names."

"We'll do our best, Mayor. I give you my word."

"For all the good that's worth," Sharp all but spat out. "We'll be discussing the leadership of GCPD quite a bit at the council meeting."

Gordon responded with his own glare. "Will Warden Strange be facing similar questioning?"

For a brief moment, Gordon saw a flicker of doubt appear in Sharp's milky blue eyes. "He will be presenting the findings of his own internal investigation, yes. I believe that's all I wished to discuss for now. You may see yourself out, Gordon."

"A pleasure as always, Mayor," Gordon said without meaning a single word. He passed by Bolton, not even acknowledging the smug look on the man's face. Sharp hadn't given him much to work with, but perhaps, just perhaps, Gordon had managed to plant a seed of doubt into the man's mind.

* * *

Ten hours later, Gordon had dismissed his senior detectives for the evening and sat alone in his office, waiting for his visitor to arrive. At 8:30 on the dot, he heard the telltale sounds of the window opening and heavy footsteps entering his office. "How did the meeting with Sharp go?"

"Good evening to you too," Gordon quipped. He got up from his seat and rubbed the back of his neck. "The Mayor was furious about the Rogues, but mostly about how he wasn't informed right away. He probably would have danced a jig if Nigma died." Gordon looked over his shoulder to see Batman standing impassively by the window. Gordon shrugged, then reached down into his desk drawer to pull out his pipe. He was long overdue for a smoke. "He also informed me that the City Council will be holding a special session next week. Strange is going to be presenting his 'findings.'" Gordon crossed the room to the coatrack to get his matches out of his coat pocket. Once he lit his pipe, he turned to face Batman directly. "He warned me too that my leadership of GCPD will be called into question."

"Are you going to be pushed to resign?" Batman asked.

Gordon took a long drag of his pipe and exhaled. "I don't know," he said. He darkly chuckled. "God knows I've been wanting to retire, but not before I take down those sons of bitches. God only knows who they'd appoint in my place. Sharp's hired Bolton on as his personal head of security." Gordon took another puff from his pipe and frowned. "I should warn Dr. Young and Nigma. Bolton's still carrying a grudge from what happened in April. He might use his position to get back at them and Nigma's daughter."

"I'll talk to Edward," Batman said. "I'm meeting with him later tonight."

Gordon looked surprised at the vigilante, then a satisfied smile came to his face. "So you're finally working together? About time." He took another puff of his pipe. "There was one other thing I noticed during my meeting. I told Sharp about Schrader's involvement with the TITAN theft last summer and he seemed surprised."

"Strange probably doesn't keep him in the loop about many of his activities. It helps him maintain plausible deniability." 

"I think there's more to it than that. I told Sharp about Schrader breaking into Dr. Young's apartment, and it was like I'd told him that his grandmother had died. I think he legitimately didn't know she was a target of Strange. He does seem to care for her, in his own way."

"Maybe he does, but we can't count on that to get him to denounce Strange," Batman warned. "He's in too deep now."

Gordon sighed. "You're right, as usual. Still, any wedge we can drive between the two."

Batman didn't so much as nod before he spoke again. "What about your investigation into Schrader? Any leads so far?"

The police commissioner was far too used to Batman's brusque nature to be put off by it. "IAB cleared Montoya quickly. They've also been questioning everyone here at headquarters who came in regular contact with Schrader, as well as cops at his old precincts, but the man kept to himself. It's been hard finding anyone who really knew him. He didn't have anyone on the outside either. IAB's looking through his cases to see if there were any irregularities, but so far, they haven't found any." Gordon took another puff as he shook his head. No doubt Schrader had been recruited precisely because he knew how to cover his tracks.

"We'll have to look into it from a different angle," Batman said. "We know the signs of dirty cops."

Gordon shut his eyes. Fifteen years ago, he couldn't throw a rock in the bullpen without hitting a dirty cop. Had he really made any difference cleaning up GCPD in the past decade, or had the rats simply gotten better at concealing themselves? He opened them and continued. "Montoya's been assisting with the investigation, at her own insistence. She took hearing what Schrader did harder than anyone else in this building." She could barely even look at Penelope the times the two women had been in the same room in the past few days. "She and Cash are looking into anyone in GCPD headquarters who's been absent in the last few days."

"Any names?"

"There's two that have come up, both of them beat cops. Barney Jacobs called out sick Sunday, hasn't been seen or heard from since. His partner, Mark Dietrich doesn't know where he is. The other one, Talbot Shaw, we've been having trouble nailing down his exact movements the last few days. He's been reporting for duty, but there are gaps of time during his shift we can't account for. So far, I haven't let IAB in on this yet, or Mayor Sharp." If Strange had collaborators within GCPD ranks, there was a strong possibility that they were in IAB as well.

"Good," Batman acknowledged. "If Strange's men sense the net closing in, we could lose them. I'll look into it tonight with Edward." 

Despite the situation, Gordon had to chuckle. "You and Edward Nigma, working together to root out dirty cops. Now I've seen everything." He turned to empty the content of his pipe in the trash can by the door. "Let me know if you need anything else from my end-" he turned back to Batman only to see that the vigilante was gone. "Typical."

* * *

The Iceberg Lounge was once again filled to the brim with clientele, but that did little to soothe Edward's nerves as he was escorted through the club. Oswald had called him that morning, asking for a meeting. Against Penny's wishes, Edward had agreed. The man wasn't stupid enough to try anything after what had happened with the other Rogues, he'd assured her. No doubt he wanted to throw himself at Edward's feet and beg for forgiveness. She hadn't been convinced and deep down, Edward was ready for trouble. It couldn't be helped, however. He and Oswald had unfinished business.

Edward followed Oswald's restaurant manager, Marco he thought the man's name was, through the dining room and past the great tank. A few finely dressed patrons were distracted from the penguins and seals long enough to gasp and point at him as he walked past. More than one had tried to come up to him asking for pictures and autographs, but he'd had to decline. Business first, unfortunately. At the very least though, Oswald wasn't likely to try anything in front of the patrons. Finally, they reached the owner's table, under the great chandelier. Oswald was sitting in his usual seat, surrounded by his men, smoking a cigarette. The surrounding tables were clear and Edward noticed a half dozen more security guards between Oswald's table and a few patrons crowding around for a better look. The fact that Oswald was willing to meet in the open instead of in the privacy of his office calmed Edward's nerves. "Mr. Nigma's here, Mr. Cobblepot," Marco said as the pair stopped at the table.

"Very good Marco," Oswald said. "You may return to your duties." The manager gave a brisk nod and walked back towards the front of the house. For a long moment, Edward stayed standing, one hand in his pocket, the other on the head of his cane. Oswald stared straight up at him, waiting for him to break the ice.

"Oswald," Edward said in a clipped greeting.

"Edward," Oswald responded. He gave Edward the once over, raising an eyebrow as he saw the visible bruises on Edward's face. "You don't seem the worse for wear." The old crook took a long drag of his cigarette and idly let out a breath of smoke. "Well," he said nonchalantly. "I do hate to say I told you so-"

"Bullshit," Edward interrupted.

Oswald's eyes flashed and he jabbed his finger up at Edward. "Well, I did bloody well tell you so, now didn't I, you reckless egomaniac!"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Don't pretend you're not enjoying this, you crooked old bird."

Oswald glared at him for a moment, then let out a loud snort. "Perhaps a bit."

It was as if a weight had lifted off of both men. Edward let out a short bark of laughter and shook his head. He sat down in the offered seat, though he kept his cane propped up against the table and within reach. "Well, Oswald. It's your meeting."

"Quite." Oswald took another drag of his cigarette before he spoke again. "In the first place," he said slowly, as though the words pained him. "The last time we spoke, I may have given you the impression that I didn't care about your personal happiness, or that I saw Dr. Young as a burden on you. I want to assure you that my only concern was that you think things through and try not to be so brazen. I deeply regret that our disagreement may have led to your unfortunate experience at the hands of our former brethren."

This was as close to an apology as Edward would ever get from the man. "Well," he said. "I can admit that I should have taken your warnings about the Rogues a little more seriously." Edward leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I meant every word I said about Penny and my daughter. From now on, they come first, and I will do what I need to do to keep them safe. I love them, Oswald."

Oswald nodded. "Of course. Love is indeed a many splendored thing. In my experience, however, it can also be a double-edged sword. You need to look no further than many of our mutual acquaintances for proof of that." Edward opened his mouth to object, only for the rotund man to raise his hand. "And with that, I will say nothing more about your dear doctor. There's too much at stake for us to spend time squabbling. Truce?"

Edward wet his lower lip, then nodded. "Truce."

Oswald visibly sighed in relief. "Excellent." He snapped his fingers and Edward froze, only to relax when the guards withdrew and a waiter appeared. "A bottle of my finest whiskey." The waiter scurried off and quickly returned with said bottle and two glasses. "Now," Oswald said jovially. "Tell me everything that happened."

Edward took a long sip of whiskey and began recounting the tale, starting with his abduction from his office and ending with his and Batman's meeting the night before. Oswald listened intently, puffing away at his cigarette. "...So after we shared our intel, Batman said that he was going to speak with Gordon regarding his investigation into Schrader. We're meeting later tonight to discuss whatever he finds out."

Oswald nodded. "And our arrangement?"

"You didn't come up, but I got the sense that our vigilante 'friend' would prefer it if it continued." Edward shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to start telling him about the racketeering and the shark you had in your basement." He gave his friend a pointed look. "Not unless you give me a reason to."

"Noted," Oswald said. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you were compiling intel on the other Rogues. Let's hope that Harvey never decides to call your bluff." He then pushed his chair out and got to his feet. "Come, there's something I wish to show you." 

Edward raised an eyebrow but followed Oswald, cane firmly in hand. The pair walked towards the back of the lounge, past Oswald's personal office, and towards a doorway that Edward recognized as leading to the basement. "You didn't get another shark, did you?"

"No," the man answered, and Edward was struck by how serious the man was. He looked out of the corner of his eye and realized that three of the guards had followed them. "Don't be alarmed," Oswald said. "I wouldn't have called you out here if I wanted to do you harm. Not when you have a Bat in your pocket, as it were."

Edward forced himself to smirk. "If you tried, there wouldn't be anything left of you for Batman after Penny and Ellen got through with you." 

Oswald let out squawking laughter. "From what I've seen of those two, I believe it." He opened the basement door and led the small procession down the narrow steps. At the bottom of the stairs, Edward saw a small group of figures standing in a dim pool of light. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Edward heard the sounds of muffled sobbing, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It sounded like he was walking in on Oswald's men dealing with a 'problem.' Was Oswald trying to send him a message? They reached the bottom of the steps and the men in the basement moved back, acknowledging their boss. Now that Edward had a clear line of sight, he saw the source of the noises. Sitting tied to a chair, duct tape covering his mouth was a young waiter Edward vaguely remembered seeing around the Lounge. His face was even more bruised than Edward's was, and half-covered in blood from a gash on his forehead. The waiter made eye contact with him and trembled, making even louder noises of fear. 

Edward sharply turned to his friend. "What is this?"

Oswald took another long drag of his cigarette and looked at the waiter with half-lidded eyes. "When Batman informed me of your abduction, he also told me that the Rogues would not have been emboldened to act unless they knew about our disagreement. I didn't need to be a vigilante to know that meant I had a rat. Luckily for me, he made himself known." The waiter shuddered and a fresh wave of tears came out of his eyes. Edward forced himself to maintain eye contact with him. "You were the person who was nearly killed," Oswald continued. "As a token of goodwill, I leave this man's fate entirely in your hands, Edward. Say the word, and I will dispose of him."

Edward stood still, staring at the pathetic wretch in the chair. Not so long ago, he would have shot him dead without a care in the world. How old was this waiter? 21? Maybe 22? Not that much older than Ellen. The daughter that this man had almost taken him away from. Edward took a step forward, stopping when he was right in front of the man. He ripped the tape off his mouth, causing him to hiss out in pain. 

"Please," the waiter choked out. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Not. One. More. Word." Edward bit out. The man bit his lip, trying not to cry harder. Edward sucked a quick breath in through his nose, forcing himself to calm down. "Why?" he asked.

"My mother's got a lot of medical bills," the waiter said in a rush. "Two-Face was paying me to give him information about Mr. Cobblepot. It wasn't anything personal, I didn't know what they were going to do to you, I swear to God-"

Edward raised his cane and the waiter fell silent, trying to shrink away from the blow. "'Wasn't anything personal'?" Edward asked. "Do you really think I care that it wasn't personal?" The waiter started to sob again and Edward looked at him with no small amount of disgust. He remembered in July of the informant who had betrayed him to Bane. He'd disappeared somewhere into the Gotham Underground, and Edward hadn't been in the emotional state to look for him. Now he was presented with a golden opportunity to remind that man and anyone else who got ideas the fate that awaited those who betrayed the Riddler...but he wasn't the Riddler anymore, was he? "You've caught me at a transitional phase of my life," he said, at last, lowering his cane. "Five years ago, I would have murdered a man for far less than what you've done to me." A tremor ran through the waiter's body and Edward realized, much to his dismay, that he almost pitied the young man. "I believe that you didn't intend for me to be abducted and killed." He saw a flash of Penny and Ellen in his mind. "But I was not the only person you endangered," he snarled. "And if I spared you, what sort of message would that send to Gotham? That there aren't any consequences for trying to kill me? I'd be dead by the end of the week." He looked behind him for a brief moment to see Oswald and his men watching him intently. The word about what he did tonight would spread. Killing the man outright was out of the question. He had too much to lose to throw it all away by killing this worm. "I could simply walk away and leave you to your former employer," he said, turning back to the waiter. "No doubt he'd make quick work of you. But even if I wasn't the one to do the deed, I'd still be responsible for your death, and you're not worth having on my conscience." The waiter let out a tiny gasp and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Thank you," he said. "Thank-" Edward cut him off with a backhand. 

"I said I wouldn't kill you. That doesn't mean you're walking away from this unscathed," Edward hissed. He looked over his shoulder at one of Oswald's men. "Does anyone here have his wallet?"

"Got it right here," One of the enforcers said, tossing him a small, beaten up wallet. Edward opened it to find it empty of cash and credit cards, but the man's ID was still inside, as was his social security card. Edward took both of them out and threw the wallet to the ground. 

"I'll be keeping these," Edward said, pocketing both cards. "From now on, you're going to be on my watchlist. If you leave Gotham, I'll know about it. If you try to change your name, I'll know about it. If you get married, I'll know about it. If your mother racks up another couple thousand in bills and goes into collections, I'll know about it. You will never make a move for the rest of your miserable life without me knowing about it. Do I make myself clear?" The waiter nodded choppily, his face ashen gray. "Good." Edward unscrewed the top of his cane and pulled out the long, thin blade. He cut through the man's bonds, then tipped the chair over, knocking him to the ground. "Now get out."

The waiter pulled himself to his feet and ran like a rabbit out of the basement. Edward turned to take stock of the room. Half of Oswald's men looked disappointed that they weren't going to see a bloodbath, the others looked shaken. Oswald himself had an unreadable look on his face before he gave Edward a nod of approval. "I must say, you showed that man more mercy than I would have," he said. Then he snorted. "Although, perhaps mercy is too strong a word."

Edward sighed. He still had Batman to deal with tonight. "I need another drink."


	12. The First Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward and Batman conduct their first joint interrogation.

It was almost ten o'clock by the time Edward left the Iceberg Lounge. He'd had another shot of whiskey and conferred with Oswald about their information gathering, then bid him adieu. As soon as he stepped back out into the chilly December night, he dialed Penny's number.

 _"How did it go?"_ she answered immediately.

"Oswald and I are back on speaking terms," Edward said, walking briskly to his car. Just faintly, he could hear her let out a sigh of relief. "Our arrangement still stands and he's been made aware of my partnership with Batman."

_"How did he react?"_

"He wasn't all that surprised." Edward huffed. "He said he's been expecting this to happen since Bane." He reached his car at last, then fumbled in his coat pocket for the key. "I'd say it went about as well as it could." He considered telling her about the waiter, then decided against it. It could wait until he saw her in person. He unlocked the car door, opened it, and shut it quickly to get away from the chilly breeze. "I'm on my way back to my apartment for my rendevous with the Dark Knight."

_"Will you come back here tonight?"_

Edward smiled. "Of course, darling. I'm not sure how long I'll be with Batman, so don't feel like you have to wait up for me. I'll text you when I'm on my way."

_"That's fine. I'll leave my key under my mat for you. I'll see you later tonight. Good luck."_

"I'll see you soon, Penny. I love you." Edward hung up the phone and started his car, cranking the heater to full blast. There was a part of him that wanted to turn around, go back to Penny's apartment and take her to bed, Batman and investigation be damned. Another part of him, a louder part, was almost excited about the prospect of Batman finally acknowledging his skill and intellect. He put the car in drive and began the trek to his apartment. Penny would be waiting for him, time to go to work.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Edward had pulled into his parking lot and did a doubletake when he saw a familiar, long black car parked alongside the street. As soon as he parked his car, the top of the black car opened, and Batman came out. Edward opened his car and met the vigilante in the parking lot halfway between both vehicles. "My my," he drawled. "Aren't we conspicuous tonight?"

"Where have you been?" Batman asked.

Edward frowned at the demanding tone in the man's voice. "I just came from the Iceberg Lounge. Why, were you waiting for me?"

"I take it you came to terms with Cobblepot," Batman answered without answering, in that infuriating way he did. 

Edward huffed, then shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "We did. It's back to business as usual." He narrowed his eyes. "That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

"No. Not as long as you stay out of his more underhanded dealings."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Yes, father." He nodded towards his apartment building. "So, shall we go inside before we freeze to death?"

Batman turned his back on Edward and started walking towards the Batmobile. "No. We're going for a ride."

Edward stood rooted to his spot, not sure if he'd heard the man correctly. "What, in the car?"

Batman paused, then looked over his shoulder. "Are you coming?"

In the car. In the actual Batmobile. He was going to ride in the front seat of the _Batmobile_. How many times would he get an opportunity like this again? "Lead the way, Dark Knight!" Edward followed, with a spring in his step not too dissimilar from Ellen whenever she was excited. He waited as patiently as he could for Batman to open the front of the car, before laying his cane on the car floor and climbing into the passenger seat. Immediately, his eyes went to the dashboard, taking in every light and button on the dashboard, memorizing their location, and speculating what their functions were. He let out a low whistle as his gaze drifted across the dashboard, to the steering wheel. It was a sleek, beautiful car, and he'd admired it as much as he'd dreaded the sight of it in the past. "Nice car," he said. "Don't remember if I've ever been in it conscious before."

"Don't touch anything," was Batman's only reply as he entered the car and closed the hatch behind him.

Well, that had been nice while it lasted. "Wouldn't dream of it," Edward sassed. Batman put it into drive, and soon, the pair were hurtling down the street away from Edward's apartment and towards downtown. The sudden acceleration pushed Edward back into his seat slightly, but he quickly recovered, taking note of the horsepower. A car like this couldn't come cheap. Edward leaned back against the stiff leather seat and propped one leg over the other. "So," he asked. "How did your meeting with Commissioner Gordon go?"

"The Mayor's angry with him about how he handled your encounter with the other Rogues," came the terse reply. "There's going to be a special session of the city council Monday night and he and Strange will be presenting their findings from their investigations. There's a chance the council will ask him to resign."

Edward steepled his fingers in front of his face. Despite their history, he didn't wish that fate for Gordon. Not when that could bring disastrous consequences for Penny. "That's unfortunate. This session won't be open to the public by any chance, will it?"

"I doubt it. I'll find a way to listen in though. The further you stay away from city officials, the better." Edward bristled, but he could also see Batman's point. "Do you still have Lyle Bolton under surveillance?"

Edward looked askance at Batman, then huffed. Of course, he knew. "I did, up until Saturday. I had to pull the informants I had watching him so they could find out more information about the attacks." A sinking feeling of dread came over Edward. "Strange didn't hire him back, did he?"

"No. Mayor Sharp hired him as his security chief. Gordon said that he was practically the Mayor's shadow."

Edward took a deep breath. Of course, Sharp would be that stupid, that vindictive, and now if he didn't already know about Ellen's existence, he would as soon as Bolton opened his fat mouth. "Well, as soon as I'm at liberty, I'm putting someone on his tail again. If that neanderthal takes one step near my daughter, I'll make what I did to him this last year look like child's play."

"I won't let that happen, Edward. I'll help keep an eye on Bolton. You should also talk to your daughter as soon as you can."

"I've already told her to stay away from Sharp and anyone connected to the Mayor's office." With how much of a spitfire Ellen was though...he'd have his hands full making sure she didn't go chasing after Bolton herself. As much as he didn't want the other Bats around her..."I wonder if she'd listen to Stephanie," he muttered.

The Batmobile came to a sudden stop, jerking Edward forward. Only his seatbelt kept him from crashing into the dashboard. He turned his head, ready to yell at Batman only to shrink back when he saw the glare the vigilante was giving him. "What did you just say?" he growled.

Edward furrowed his brow. What had he just- _Stephanie._ Oh, that had been a stupid, stupid move. "I suppose it's no good keeping it from you," he said, aware that he was about five seconds away from the Dark Knight's hand wrapping around his throat. "Seeing Arthur a few days ago jogged my memory. I know his daughter is Batgirl." 

Batman's eyes narrowed even further. "And just what do you intend to do with this information?"

Edward forgot his fear long enough to lean forward and jab his finger towards Batman. "Just what do you think I'm going to do with it?" he asked, outraged. "Do you think I'm going to sell out the girl who took a bullet for my daughter? Who would I even sell her out to? Unless he's a complete idiot, Arthur has to know, and I'm not exactly on speaking terms with the other Rogues!" Batman's face retained its tight expression and Edward recognized it. It was the same expression he'd had minutes ago when he thought about Ellen. Batman didn't see the other Bats as his minions, he realized with a start. He saw them as his children. "I don't intend to do anything with it," he said calmly, lowering his finger. "I never even intended to bring it up. It was a slip of the tongue."

Batman's eyes remained narrowed, but Edward noticed his grip on the steering wheel loosen. "Don't bring it up again," he said, at last, his voice a low warning. "And don't even think about snooping around."

"As if I have the time," Edward retorted. "What happened to wanting to trust me?" Batman said nothing, but turned his head back to the steering wheel and put his foot back on the gas pedal. The car moved forward, and the pair sat in silence for a long while. Edward looked out the window and noticed that they were driving through the lower East Side. "Where are we going, anyway?" he asked.

"Gordon has Detective Montoya and Officer Cash looking into police officers who might be connected to the attacks," Batman said as if he hadn't been about to shove Edward face-first through the windshield minutes before. "Two names have come up as potential suspects: Barney Jacobs and Talbot Shaw."

Edward blinked on hearing the last name. "Oh? What makes them suspects?"

"Jacobs has been absent from duty since the attacks, and Shaw's movements can't be accounted for." Batman looked at Edward from the corner of his eye. "What do you know about them?"

"About Jacobs? Nothing, yet. Shaw, however, you can clear as a suspect."

"He's an informant of yours, isn't he?"

Edward smirked. "Quick on the uptake, as always. Yes, Officer Shaw has been in my employ since I foiled Victor Goodman. He keeps me informed on the day to day running of GCPD headquarters, and in return, I help him afford payments on his new house."

Batman didn't look impressed, as always. "Is Shaw the only informant you have in GCPD?"

Edward didn't like that dismissive tone. "GCPD officers are a bit more expensive than your run of the mill informant," he groused. Not that Batman needed to know, but Edward was in the process of securing 'donations' from Arthur and Harvey to help with his staffing issues. "I could either have a multitude of informants in GCPD or my daughter could have a college fund."

This actually seemed to get a reaction from the Dark Knight, as his eyes widened, for just a moment. Only a moment, and he was back to his stoic self. "When was the last time you spoke to Shaw?"

"Yesterday. I told him to look into any suspicious absences from GCPD the last few days, just as Gordon has his officers doing."

"Call him. I want to know what he knows."

"So do I." In an instant, Edward pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. On the third ring, he heard the phone pick up. "Good evening, Officer Shaw."

 _"Mr. Nigma?"_ a young voice responded. _"What's up?"_

Edward put the phone on speaker, keeping one eye on Batman as he did so. He'd rather the man not announce his presence, lest he spook the officer. "I thought I'd call for a progress report. What have you heard around headquarters?"

_"Rat Squads all over the place. They're talking to anyone Detective Schrader might have worked with. I heard they're at his old precinct too. Aaron and Detective Montoya have been asking around too, about what I've been doing lately. I think they might have made me."_

Edward glanced towards Batman, but the vigilante remained silent. "I have an in with Officer Cash, don't worry about it. Tell me, what do you know about Officer Barney Jacobs?"

_"Barney? I've talked with him a few times. He's kind of a dumbass, but he's ok. He's better than his partner."_

"Oh?" This was promising. "What's the partner's name?"

_"Mark Dietrich. He's a bossy prick."_

"Any history of violence?"

_"Nah, he's just a dick. He and Barney are always late coming back from their patrols. They drive dispatch nuts."_

"I can imagine. Have you ever noticed either man speaking with Detective Schrader?"

_"Nah. I mean, not more than any other beat cop in headquarters. They might have met outside in one of the cop bars though."_

As soon as Edward had the financial means to do so, he was recruiting more GCPD informants. Shaw was competent, but he was only one man. "I've heard through other sources that Jacobs has been absent from duty. Do you have any idea why?"

 _"He's been calling in sick, but I heard Dietrich talking to him on the phone in the locker room, telling him to get his ass to work."_ Edward noticed Batman's eyes narrowing. He put the phone on mute and leaned over slightly.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Dietrich has been saying that he hasn't been in communication with Jacobs," Batman said. 

It looked very likely that they had found Schrader's rats. Edward unmuted his phone. "Is Dietrich still on duty?"

_"No, he went home about two hours ago. He skipped Wednesday Night beer night too-shit. Should I tell the Commissioner?"_

Edward looked at Batman, who gave a firm nod. "The second I hang up, go to Gordon. Thank you as always, for your service, Officer Shaw. I'll check in with you on Monday."

 _"You got it."_ Edward hung up, placed his phone into his pocket, and turned to fully face Batman. The Dark Knight was pressing buttons into the navigational system of the Batmobile. A few lines of text appeared on the small screen, as well as a picture of whom Edward assumed was Officer Dietrich. Edward realized that what he was looking at was actually a small dashboard computer built into the Batmobile. It was fascinating and made him sigh wistfully. Oh, the mischief he could have gotten up to if he'd had access to Batman's tech in his other life...ah well. 

"Officer Dietrich lives at 450 52nd Street," Batman said. "That's about a ten-minute drive from here."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "How convenient." Had this whole drive been a ploy from Batman to get him to reveal his GCPD source? He wouldn't put it past the man. "What about Jacobs?"

Batman hesitated before responding. "I have someone watching his home. There's been no sign of him."

"Which means he's on the run, and Dietrich probably knows where," Edward smirked. "So then, I'll be Good Cop to your Bad Cop?" A taciturn look was his only response. Edward sulked. "Fine: Bad Cop, Worse Cop."

* * *

450 52nd Street was an old four-story office building on the edges of the East Side that had been converted to a cheap apartment complex some years before. Edward took a critical look at the old, drab building, barely illuminated by a few lights from the apartments inside, and shook his head. "You'd think Schrader would have paid his rats enough for them to afford better housing." He looked over his shoulder only to see Batman standing a few feet away by the parked Batmobile, his fingers pressed up against his cowl. No doubt he was communicating with one of his underlings, and not paying attention to a word Edward was saying. Typical. Edward huffed, then looked back towards the building. His grip tightened on the handle of his cane. A crooked cop was the most dangerous cop and they were about to confront one in his own home. Perhaps he should listen to Penny's suggestion of wearing a bulletproof vest under his clothes. He heard the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching and saw Batman in his peripheral vision.

"Your informant talked to Gordon," he said. "Gordon's put out an IPB on Dietrich and Jacobs. Backup should be here in about twenty minutes."

"Good to know," Edward said. He pointed the tip of his cane towards the building. "So. How do you want to do this?"

"Follow my lead," Batman ordered, stepping forward. "Jacobs may have come here after leaving his home. Be ready for a fight."

"After you then," Edward said with a sweep of his arm. Batman paid no attention to it and entered the building. Edward followed behind him, his cane at the ready. The pair silently made their way from the empty main floor up the rickety old stairs, the only sound being their footsteps. Edward followed Batman up to the third floor and tried to ignore the sound of his heart pounding. Adrenaline was starting to course through him, but not from fear. From excitement. At the end of the hall, Batman held a gloved hand up. Edward stopped in his tracks, then began to hear voices coming from behind apartment 12.

_"We should go, Mark. He's going to kill us-"_

_"Shut the fuck up, Barney. He doesn't know shit. If he knew, he'd have come after us by now. No one knows what Schrader told us to do. Just come to work tomorrow and act like nothing happened. It'll be fine."_

Officers Dietrich and Jacobs. Edward took a step forward, only for Batman's arm to block his path. The vigilante shook his head. Not yet. Edward frowned, but nodded, leaning forward to catch more of the pair incriminating themselves. Had they assisted at City Hall? Were they responsible for the Narrows bombing?

 _"Maybe we should go to Gordon,"_ the first, desperate voice said. 

_"And tell him what? We didn't know what Schrader was going to do! All that prick told us to do was keep an eye on the Riddler freak! I'm not throwing away ten years on the force for that!"_

Edward saw red. Those sons of bitches had been tailing him that day! While he'd been lying in bed grappling with his feelings for Penny, they'd been outside his home, waiting to bring him in. He surged forward again, but Batman's arm remained firm. The vigilante shot him a sharp look that said more than words could. _Calm. Down._ Edward glared at him, then took a deep breath. It wouldn't do any good for him to run into the apartment and bash their brains in, as much as he wanted to. Dietrich's voice rose.

_"Just take a breath, and calm down. Riddler doesn't know shit, and if he tries anything, I'll stick that cane of his so far up his ass it'll come out his mouth!"_

Well. That was just rude. Edward couldn't let that pass. He tapped Batman's arm insistently and finally, it lowered. Batman's hand went to his utility belt and pulled out a Batarang. Finally, he gave Edward a nod. Showtime. Edward stepped around Batman, went up to the door, and gave it three solid raps with his cane.

 _"What the fuck?"_ Dietrich's voice shouted. _"Who's there!?"_

"Pest control!" Edward shouted back in a brassy tone. "We've had some reports of vermin infesting this unit."

There was a pause before Jacobs's voice piped up. _"Oh shit. Oh shit, it's him!"_

 _"You made a mistake coming here alone, freak,"_ Dietrich growled out. Edward heard the distinctive sound of a pistol cocking, before he heard the deadbolt being removed. Perfect. The morons had taken the bait.

Edward cackled. "Who said I came here alone?" He stepped to the side, giving Batman a nod. As soon as the door began to open, Batman kicked it down, sending Dietrich hurtling to the floor. Jacobs was standing in the living room, his own pistol in his shaky hand. His eyes were as wide as saucers and his face turned green as he saw Batman enter the small apartment.

"Oh God," the officer whispered. He reflexively raised his hand and Batman responded by hurling the Batarang directly at the gun, knocking it to the ground. Before Jacobs could even react, Batman had launched himself across the room, taking the hapless officer by the front of his shirt and pinned him against the living room wall, sending a framed picture crashing to the ground. Edward remained at the door, amazed, and not a little bit frightened at how fast Batman could move when he really wanted to. He caught movement at his feet and saw Dietrich attempting to get to his feet. Edward quickly flipped his cane and smashed the cop in the small of his back with the handle. Dietrich rolled onto his back and Edward unscrewed the top, pulled the blade out, and pointed it at the man's thick neck in a matter of seconds.

"What was that you were saying about what you'd do with my cane?" Edward asked acerbically. "I'd stay still if I were you, or else you get to see what I'll do with it." Dietrich's eyes flashed, but he stayed still. "Good decision, Officer." Edward looked up enough to watch Batman going to work on poor Officer Jacobs.

"We know you were working with Detective Schrader," Batman said. "When did he recruit you?"

"It was the day of the attacks," Jacobs croaked. "He told us that we had to keep tabs on Riddler, then to bring him in at 7:05 pm." That would have been after the attacks and after the bombs had gone off. No doubt, that was to cement the frame-up on him, Edward thought. "We didn't know what Schrader was going to do at City Hall," the officer pleaded. "I swear to God-"

Edward watched as Batman's hand tightened around Jacobs' throat. " _Swear to me_ ," he growled, and Edward felt a chill go down his spine. 

"I swear!" Jacobs choked. "We were just supposed to watch Riddler and bring him in! That's it! I swear!"

"And it never occurred to you to ask Schrader why I needed to be brought in?" Edward asked Dietrich.

The officer gulped. "Schrader was a senior detective. Wasn't our place to ask questions."

"Of course it wasn't," Edward scoffed. "And I suppose it didn't occur to you after the attacks what Schrader's motive was?" The blank, expression on Dietrich's face told Edward all he needed to know. He made a disgusted noise. "GCPD's best and brightest. Who else was involved?"

"We don't know," Dietrich said. "Schrader didn't say if he talked to anyone else." Edward moved the cane sword just an inch closer to Dietrich, and the man shrank back. "It's the truth! We only know what Schrader told us! We didn't have anything to do with what happened at City Hall or the other shootings!"

"But you didn't say anything to Gordon after the attacks," Batman said. "Even if you didn't know what Schrader's plans were, you're still accomplices." He dropped Jacobs to the ground and the man immediately curled up. "Gordon's on his way here. You're going to tell him everything you told us, and you had better tell the truth, or I'll hunt you down." Batman gave Edward a nod, then began to walk towards the front door. Edward looked down at Dietrich.

"I may not possess the physical strength that Batman here does," he said in warning. "But I don't need it to make your life Hell. Regardless of what Gordon does to you, the two of you are going to find out why you don't want my attention." He sheathed his blade, screwed the top of his cane back on, and stepped aside to make way for Batman. Before he followed the vigilante out, he took one last look at the officers and the identical looks of fear they both wore on their faces. Edward smiled.

"Gordon will be here in about five minutes," Batman said as the pair exited the building. "I'll take you back to your apartment."

"Just one question," Edward said. "Let's be honest: you could have conducted that interrogation by yourself. You didn't need me to accompany you here." He crossed his arms. "Which begs the question: why did you bring me out here?" Batman's expression was blank, and he said nothing. "Let me share my theory: you've suspected since the attacks happened that Schrader had GCPD officers tailing me. You wanted to see how I'd react. Tonight was a test." Edward looked expectantly at the Dark Knight. "So: did I pass?"

Batman turned on his heel and walked to the Batmobile. "We need to go. We can talk about our next steps on our way back to your apartment."

Another answer without answering. Score one for Edward. "Lead the way, Dark Knight."

* * *

It was just after 12:30 when Edward pulled into Penny's parking lot. He and Batman had agreed to meet again Monday, after the City Council meeting. In the meantime, Edward was going to begin recruiting more informants, as well as begin surveilling Bolton again. He stopped his car and looked Heavenward. That was not a conversation with Ellen that he was looking forward to. He opened his car door and stepped out into the cold night again. At least he had some solace for a few hours. Once he stepped out of the elevator onto Penny's floor, he had a renewed spring in his step. Despite Batman's mind games, the evening had been productive, and the adrenaline was still running through his veins. It wasn't too late at night, perhaps Penny would be up for a little fun. He reached her door, then reached under her mat for her key. He unlocked her front door and opened it softly, in case she was asleep.

Penny was sitting on her couch, dressed in her pajamas, with a mug in her hand. She looked up as he entered and the relief was palpable in her eyes. "Hello, Edward."

"Hello, Darling," he cooed. He shut the door behind him, then hung his jacket up on her coatrack. He turned back to the couch. "Tea at this time of night?" he lightly scolded. "I told you you didn't have to wait up for me."

Penny rolled her eyes. "I'm aware." She gestured to the coffee table, where another mug stood. "I made some for you too, I know it's cold out tonight."

Edward grinned. "Thank you." He crossed the room to her couch then took a seat next to her. He took the warm mug and eagerly drank the green tea, letting the warmth seep through his bones. He looked back at Penny, who was leaned forward, her hand under her chin.

"How did it go tonight?"

Edward took another gulp of tea, then placed the mug down on the coffee table. "It was eventful." He told her a quick summary of the night's events from his meeting with Oswald at the Iceberg Lounge and the punishment he'd given the waiter, to the night with Batman. All the while, Penny listened, her face as impassive as the Dark Knight himself. "...And so, Batman wants to meet up after the City Council session. In the meantime, I need to start looking into expanding my informant network. I also need to talk to Ellen about Bolton. Knowing my little hellion, she's going to want to go after him herself."

Penny nodded. "I'm going to call Joan and Bruce tomorrow. Commissioner Gordon needs all the support we can give him ahead of Monday night." She bit her lower lip before she spoke again. "I want to come with you on Monday to speak with Batman."

Edward frowned. "Penny, you don't have to-"

"I want to, Edward. I'm still part of this investigation. I can more than handle Batman, and I don't want to spend my nights alone, waiting for you to come back to me." She reached over to squeeze his hand. "I'm your partner, in more ways than one."

"I know," Edward sighed, squeezing her hand back. "There's no way to keep you out of this." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "I seem cursed to love stubborn people."

Penny smirked. "I'm nowhere near as stubborn as you and we both know it." Edward laughed and leaned in to give her a soft kiss. When he pulled away, her ice-blue eyes had darkened slightly. "We can talk more about our next steps in the morning." She reached up to cup his face. "Come to bed with me?"

Edward got to his feet. "Darling, I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Edward woke up well-rested and alone. He blinked, his eyes going to the clock on Penny's nightstand. 8:30. He'd slept in. Ah well, he thought as he got to his feet. So he'd be a little late getting to his office. His clients could wait an extra fifteen minutes or so. Penny, bless her, had probably been up for hours doing her busywork. At least she wasn't seeing patients today. Edward had just picked up his clothes that were neatly piled on the bedroom floor when he heard her calling to him from the living room. "Edward! Get out here!"

Edward dashed out to the living room, still clad in his boxer shorts and undershirt. He saw her standing rigid by her dining room table, her eyes fixed on the television. "What is it?" he asked.

She wordlessly pointed towards the television. Edward followed her gaze and saw that Summer Gleeson was doing a special report. _"Breaking news this morning: We've gotten word that the entire Board of Directors of Arkham Asylum has resigned in the wake of the Gotham attacks. Mayor Sharp has announced a press conference to be held at 9:30 this morning to address the future of Arkham Asylum."_

Penny looked to Edward, her eyes wide. Once Edward had recovered his power of speech, he rubbed his chin. "Strange has just made his first move," he said. "We're starting to see his true plan."


	13. The Press Conference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce runs into a few friends at Sharp's press conference, while Edward has an awkward conversation with Ellen.

It was 9:15 by the time Bruce arrived at City Hall. From what he and Barbara had gathered, Mayor Sharp had insisted on holding the impromptu press conference in front of the building, in front of the same doors he'd used to flee from the attack nearly a week before. The streets immediately around City Hall had been closed off, forcing Alfred to drop Bruce off three blocks away. He looked up at the gray sky. At least it wasn't raining. As he walked across the main street in front of City Hall Bruce took note of the line of heavily armed GCPD officers who had assembled around the building, as well as the mayor's private security team. A SWAT truck was visible halfway down the block. Gordon wasn't leaving anything to chance. A small crowd had formed in front of City Hall, in addition to the reporters who had assembled. Bruce could see Jack Ryder near the front of the crowd, preening himself as usual. Vicki Vale was a few feet to Ryder's left, pointedly ignoring him. Gordon wasn't anywhere in the crowd, as Bruce expected. Ten feet or so to Bruce's right, near the back of the crowd, Bruce spotted Dr. Leland and Dr. Young, in deep conversation with each other. Bruce walked up to them, fixing a smile on his face. "Good morning, ladies!" Both women looked up with a start, though Dr. Leland immediately waved him over with a warm smile. He joined the women, then turned his attention back to the crowd. "Joe and Leslie aren't here too, are they?"

"They weren't able to get out of work," Dr. Leland answered. "We're going to try to meet up with them later this afternoon if you're free."

Bruce nodded, then leaned down to speak softly to Dr. Young. "Is Edward here?" In the rush to get to City Hall, he hadn't been able to get ahold of Edward to advise him not to come. The last thing they needed was a public confrontation on the morning news.

Much to his relief, Dr. Young shook her head. "We agreed that his presence would do more harm than good. I'll be updating him later today after he takes care of some personal business."

Bruce turned his attention back to the front of City Hall. Five members of Sharp's security team, all dressed in black suits, were standing in front of the glass doors. The Mayor himself had yet to make an appearance, which wasn't that odd. He was probably in his office, getting last-minute notes from Strange. Bruce reflexively narrowed his eyes. The mass resignation of the Arkham Board had Strange's fingerprints all over it. He was using them to take the fall for the attacks, while he consolidated his power behind the scenes and rid himself of the last checks on his authority. What was his next move?

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne," a familiar, sassy voice behind him said. Bruce turned to see a raven-haired, violet-eyed reporter with her notebook in hand, flashing him her trademark smirk. "What's Gotham's most eligible bachelor doing at a chilly, early morning outdoor press conference?"

Bruce smiled, genuinely. "Lois! This is a surprise! When did you get to Gotham?"

"Clark and I flew in last night on the red-eye from Metropolis. While I'm freezing out here, he's trying to secure an interview with the other big story that came out of Gotham last week." Bruce pictured Edward unknowingly being interviewed by Superman and couldn't help but smirk. He heard Dr. Young clear her throat and out of the corner of his eyes, noticed that she had her arms crossed over her chest. Bruce immediately gestured towards both women.

"Lois, these ladies are Dr. Penelope Young and Dr. Joan Leland. We've been working together as part of an advocacy group for Arkham's patients. Dr. Young, Dr. Leland, this is my good friend, Lois Lane."

Lois exchanged polite greetings with Dr. Leland and a cool one with Dr. Young. Lois's gaze lingered on Dr. Young a bit before she pulled a pen out of her purse and turned her attention to both women. "Both of you were former doctors at Arkham Asylum, is that right? Do you have any thoughts on the news on the board's resignation?"

Dr. Leland and Dr. Young exchanged a look before Dr. Young nodded. "Our concern, first and foremost, is the welfare of the patients at Arkham Asylum," Dr. Leland said authoritatively. "Regardless of the reasons the Board resigned, we hope that the patients won't be forgotten."

Lois nodded, jotting her notes down. She looked back up, straight at Dr. Young. "Do you believe that the resignations are justified?"

Dr. Young spoke in a cold, clear voice. "While it's clear that the Board of Directors was negligent in their running of the Asylum, they aren't the only ones who share that responsibility. There's another person who is just as accountable for what happened last week, and I think it's telling that he isn't here."

"I take it you're referring to Warden Strange?" Lois asked, and Bruce noticed the telltale gleam in her eyes. "What would you have to say to him if he was here today?"

"Nothing suitable for print," Dr. Young said flatly. Her eyes drifted behind Bruce where they caught sight of something. "Excuse me, there's someone I'd like to talk to." Bruce turned around and noticed that Aaron Cash had shown up and was waving to Dr. Young. She walked past Bruce and Lois towards him and the two soon became drawn into a conversation. He was probably updating her on the police officers that he and Edward had found last night, Bruce thought. He'd stopped by GCPD after dropping Edward off and gotten an update from Gordon after he'd personally interrogated both officers. They'd stuck to the same story they'd told in Dietrich's apartment, which meant they were telling the truth. 

"Mind if I steal Bruce from you for a bit?" Bruce heard Lois ask, drawing his attention away from Cash and Dr. Young.

Dr. Leland flashed them a warm smile. "Of course. We'll catch up after the press conference, alright Bruce?" Bruce nodded, then followed Lois a few feet deeper into the crowd, closer to where the reporters were setting up.

"Think the temperature went up a few degrees after Dr. Young took off," Lois quipped. She jerked her thumb back towards where she was still speaking with Cash. "What's the story with her and the mysterious Warden Strange? Sounds personal."

"It's a long one," Bruce said. "And not something that can be put on the record."

"Spoilsport. Does it have anything to do with a certain Gotham Rogue turned 'heroic' private investigator?" Bruce's surprise must have shown on his face, for Lois smirked. "I noticed how she tensed up when I mentioned Nigma earlier. She had 'protective girlfriend' practically tattooed on her forehead."

Bruce shook his head fondly. "You could've been quite a detective in another life."

Lois laughed. "I wouldn't have lasted a day without shooting my mouth off." Then her face became concerned. "How are you doing Bruce? You look rundown. Well, even more than usual."

Bruce let out a long sigh. "I'm getting by." He reached up to rub his eyes. He'd managed a bit more sleep the night before than he had lately, but the long nights were beginning to take their toll. "Lois," he said softly. "A lot is going on in Gotham that I can't tell you about just yet."

Lois furrowed her brow. "About the attacks, Arkham, or all of the above?" She looked expectantly at him for a response, and when none came, let out a sigh of her own. "Okay. If you can't tell me, can you tell Clark at least? You know how he worries about you."

Bruce knew all too well. No doubt the man would literally drop in Wayne Manor to get some answers from him. "I will. And as soon as I have anything concrete, I'll send it to you first. Deal?"

Lois smirked again. "Deal." There was movement at the front doors of City Hall, and the crowd as one looked to see Lyle Bolton make his way out of the building and next to the podium that had been set up for Sharp's remarks. Bruce watched Lois frown. "Who's Lurch?"

"Lyle Bolton, the head of Sharp's security detail." Bruce stared at the man through narrowed eyes. At least if Bolton was here, it meant he wasn't tracking down Edward's daughter. Bolton seemed to be scanning the crowd as if looking out for any threats. Or perhaps he was looking for Edward and Dr. Young. 

"Bruce," he heard Lois's voice cut in. "The man in the blue coat and fedora, five o'clock. Is that who I think it is?" Bruce immediately looked to where Lois had gestured and saw a redheaded, nondescript looking man near the front of the throng of reporters. His face was nothing memorable, but Bruce knew it by sight, and he'd recognize that coat anywhere. 

"Vic Sage," he said. Bruce knew him better as the vigilante The Question. The last Bruce had heard, he was assisting the League in digging up evidence on Luthor's crimes in office. Why would they send-Clark was already in Gotham. He wouldn't come to Gotham and send Vic, which meant that Vic must have been following the events in Gotham and come of his own accord. Between him and Waller, who else was monitoring the situation?

"Vic Sage is here," he heard Lois murmur. He turned to look back at her to see she was giving him a sardonic look. "Whatever you're not telling me must be pretty big if that conspiracy buff came out of the woodwork."

She had no idea. Before Bruce could say anything, there was movement at the front doors. Mayor Sharp had finally made his appearance, flanked by two additional security guards and Deputy Mayor Jensen. "You better join the other reporters," he said. "Wouldn't want the Daily Planet to be left out."

"God forbid," Lois said. "Got any tips for how to handle his honor?"

At that moment, Bruce couldn't think of a better punishment for Sharp than to be on the receiving end of a barrage of questions from Lois Lane. "He's pompous, has an over-inflated ego, and doesn't like being shown up. He also doesn't like going off-script. Do your worst."

Lois chuckled. "Always do. I'll catch up with you later." Lois made her way past Bruce and up to the first row of reporters. Bruce watched her as she found a spot next to Vicki Vale, about four feet in front of Vic. As if he knew he was being watched, and Bruce had no doubt he did. Vic turned in his direction. The two men made eye contact, and Vic gave him a cursory nod before he turned his attention to the podium. Bruce took a quick look over his shoulder and saw that Dr. Leland and Dr. Young were just a few feet behind him. He walked back to rejoin them, just as he heard Mayor Sharp's voice over the microphone.

"Good morning, people of Gotham City, members of the press corp," Mayor Sharp spoke. "By now you are all aware of the resignation of the Arkham Asylum Board of Directors. My office had been in communication with the former board members throughout the past week until they reached their decision and informed me last night." Somehow Bruce doubted that. The decision had probably been made the night of the attacks. "This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but, given the actions of the patients who had been released by the board's orders, it was the correct one. However well-intentioned, the misguided actions of the Board directly led to the deaths of over two hundred Gotham citizens. As your Mayor, I vow that such a disaster will never happen again.."

"Look at him," Bruce heard Dr. Young say. He glanced towards her and noticed that her fists were clenched. "This is a performance. He's recasting himself as Gotham's savior."

"That must be why he called for a press conference," Dr. Leland agreed. "He's using the media attention to reinforce the delusion."

Bruce nodded in agreement, then looked back at Sharp. "...Warden Strange has assured my office that this in no way will impede his investigation into who else in Arkham may have been involved in the attacks. He will present his findings Monday evening in a special session of the City Council." He cleared his throat and said the words Bruce had expected and feared. "As of now, there are no plans to replace the Board of Directors." Bruce heard a collective gasp from both the reporters and Dr. Leland. He exchanged a quick look with Dr. Young before turning back to Sharp. "Warden Strange will temporarily assume all of their responsibilities and will work with my office to determine the long-term future of Arkham Asylum." He gave the assembled reporters a nod. "I will now take questions."

It was as if a dam burst. The throng of reporters immediately began talking over each other, each trying to be heard. To Bruce, it looked like Sharp was enjoying the attention he was receiving from the press corps. It wasn't too far off from how Edward behaved at the beginning of his reformation. Bruce realized something with a start. The press conference...was Sharp also doing this to crowd Edward off the front page? He took a quick look at Dr. Young. Her face was cold, but he wondered if she'd made the same connection.

"Mayor Sharp," Bruce heard a reporter from the Gotham Herald ask. "What plans are there for the inmates of Arkham Asylum?"

"As of now, there are no plans to release any more inmates," Sharp answered smugly. "All those incarcerated in Arkham will remain in custody."

There was another moment of the reporters calling out until Bruce heard one voice above the din. "Mayor Sharp! Vicki Vale, for Gotham City News Network. Do you intend to shut down Arkham Asylum?"

There was a pregnant pause as Sharp coldly considered the crowd. "We have not made any decisions of that nature, but at this time, nothing is being ruled out." He watched the reporters began shouting again, and Bruce almost detected a smile on the man's face. Sharp then nodded towards a familiar woman and Bruce let himself smirk. Showtime. "Yes, Ms.-"

"Lois Lane, Daily Planet. Why isn't Warden Strange here today?"

The self-satisfied look on Sharp's face changed to one of surprise. Sharp quickly recovered and cleared his throat. "Warden Strange has responsibilities that he must see to at the Asylum, as well as the investigation into the attacks. He could not also take the time to come to this press conference-"

"Is there no one in the administrative staff at Arkham who could fill in for a few hours?" Lois pressed on, to the visible discomfort of Deputy Mayor Jensen. "Isn't it a little odd that in a press conference regarding the fate of the asylum, that the man who runs the asylum isn't here to answer questions? Is he afraid of scrutiny?"

Sharp's face reddened, and Bruce doubted it was from the chill. "Of course not. He will make a media appearance when it's appropriate for him to do so. Moving on..." his gaze went to the blue-clad figure standing a few feet behind Lois. "I will take your question next, Mr.-"

"Vic Sage, KBEL Hub City." Bruce tensed. Vic was one of if not the single best detective Bruce had ever known. He was also one of the most tightly wound men he'd ever known. Frankly, there were times he made Edward look casual. "Going back to the matter of the Arkham Board. They resigned because of the actions of the patients that they ordered to be released?"

Sharp looked confused. "Well, yes. I believe that I said that at the beginning of this conference, Mr. Sage."

"Just confirming the facts, Mayor. Under the Commission guidelines that Gotham City put into law earlier this year, however, didn't the final decision to release patients rest with Warden Strange?"

Another murmur went up from the crowd. Sharp looked like a gaping fish the way he stared at Vic. "Well, yes," he stammered. Jensen gave him a nudge, and Sharp cleared his throat. "Warden Strange was opposed to any releases but was compelled by the Board of Directors," he said stridently. "It's a matter of record."

Vic nodded, it looked to Bruce like he was writing notes. That had been a well-aimed strike at Sharp. How much did Vic know? "Did the Board of Directors also decide who specifically to release, or was that also at the discretion of Strange?" 

A silence fell over the crowd, followed by the sound of furtive whispers. "That was a deliberate provocation. Is that man a contact of Edward's?" he heard Dr. Leland ask Dr. Young.

"Edward's never mentioned knowing a Vic Sage," Dr. Young answered. Bruce didn't let on any reaction. Technically, that wasn't a lie. "I'll ask him later today."

Bruce turned his attention back to Sharp, whose face had passed red and was now almost purple. "Warden Strange was ordered to release low-level inmates by the Arkham Board! The former Board members have accepted responsibility for their actions. The purpose of this press conference was not to call Warden Strange's actions into question!"

"Then why isn't he here?" Lois asked. "If Strange shares no responsibility for what happened last week, then why couldn't he come here and say that?"

Sharp froze for a moment. Only a moment, but Bruce knew the guilty, frightened look on his face all too well. He saw it on the face of every mugger, every petty crook, every henchman he fought on Gotham's streets each night. "I have nothing more to say regarding Warden Strange," Sharp ground out. "Any further questions may be directed at Deputy Mayor Jensen." He turned and stormed back into City Hall, followed by Bolton and the rest of the security team, while Deputy Mayor Jensen was left to deal with the clamoring reporters. Almost all of them. Bruce watched as Vic left the crowd and walked towards the right alley adjacent to City Hall. He wasn't the only person who noticed Vic taking his leave.

"Did he come here just to antagonize Sharp?" Dr. Young asked, her brow furrowed. "Who is Vic Sage?"

Bruce shrugged. "I heard he's some conspiracy nut. He probably came out here to get some more material for his followers on the internet."

"Whoever he is, he rattled Sharp," Dr. Leland said. "The story from today isn't going to be the Arkham Board resigning, but Sharp losing his temper at a press conference. That's going to be damaging."

Bruce hoped so. He knew that Lois at least wouldn't be writing a flattering piece about the conference. He gave both women a nod. "I have to get going, but let me know what time you'll be available this afternoon."

Dr. Young and Dr. Leland said their goodbyes, then began to chat with each other about what they'd just seen, and the psychological implications. Bruce left them to it, then walked to the back towards the street, along with most of the crowd. When he was certain that no one was watching, he turned right and doubled back towards the alley he saw Vic enter. It was the same alley that he'd ducked into the night of the City Hall attack, the same alley Schrader had died in. Bruce quickened his pace, willing himself not to dwell on it.

Vic was waiting for him halfway down the narrow alley, standing by the fire escape of the adjacent building. He gave Bruce a nod as he approached. "You know that's the last time you'll ever be allowed to a press conference in this city," Bruce said in greeting.

"Hmmph," Vic snorted. "I'll live." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small pack of Nicorette gum. Bruce watched as Vic popped out a piece and put it into his mouth.

"No cigarette?"

"Helena made me quit," Vic groused. "She said she didn’t want to smell like an ashtray in front of her kids." He paused mid-chew to give Bruce a hopeful look. "Why, you got one?"

"You know I don't smoke." Vic shrugged and returned to chewing. Bruce crossed his arms. "What are you doing here, Vic?"

Vic chewed for a moment longer before he answered. "After months of sustained criticism and voter rejection of Mayor Sharp's hardline policies, a series of attacks occur that not only validate every argument his administration has made but also nearly succeeds in killing his most vocal critics. Classic false flag operation. Moreover, he's taken advantage of the resulting fallout to force the resignation of the Arkham Board of Directors, the last check on the true power behind his administration: Warden Hugo Strange." Vic cocked his head, looking satisfied with himself. "Sharp's defensiveness of the man indicates a deeper relationship between the two. That and frankly, Sharp doesn't look like he can plot his way out of a wet paper bag." Vic's face grew serious. "Only, something went wrong with the plan. The intended fall guy was filmed saving the people who were supposed to die, and Sharp and his backers are scrambling to adjust the narrative." He gave Bruce a level look. "Am I getting warm?"

Bruce sighed and shook his head. "I'm surprised that you've had the time to follow what's been happening in Gotham. Aren't you helping to sort through the mess Luthor left behind?"

"I can multitask. And you know I'm not the only one who's been keeping an eye on Gotham. I saw Lane here. I take it Kent isn't far behind?"

"He's in Gotham. He's going to try to get an interview with Nigma."

Vic snorted again. "I'm not sure who I feel sorrier for." He nodded at Bruce. "So how is our mutual 'friend' dealing with everything that's happened?"

Bruce considered the question and weighed his response. He inwardly sighed. As much as he would have liked to keep this contained, too many people were showing up with questions. "That's not a conversation we can have right now. How long are you going to be in Gotham?"

"Three days. I'll be seeing Helena tonight, so I can meet tomorrow morning." Vic paused to think. "Maybe tomorrow afternoon. Late tomorrow afternoon. Are you going to bring in Kent?"

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice," Bruce quipped. He turned to exit the alley. "I'll let you know when and where. In the meantime, make yourself scarce. You've just put yourself at the top of Sharp's enemies list."

"Story of my life," Vic said. He turned and walked in the opposite direction. Bruce emerged from the alley and took one last look towards the press conference. Lois in particular looked like she was enjoying grilling Jensen. Bruce let out a small smile before he walked away from City Hall. He had an overdue call he needed to make.

* * *

_2:45 pm_

School had, once again, been a somber affair for Ellen. In the past week since the attacks, the school had hired additional security guards, who kept a watchful eye on the students in the halls and cafeteria. She felt more like she was in lockdown than in school. She'd stayed by her friends' side as much as she could, including walking home with them in a group. "I hate this," she complained to Clarissa. "I can't even go to the bathroom without some asshole following me down the hall. Are they going to start searching our bags between classes too?"

"The school's just trying to protect us," her friend Jon said to her far left. "You never know what can happen in this city."

"I agree with Ellen," her friend Joe said to her right. "If some Rogue or whoever decides to attack our school, the security guards aren't gonna do shit. They're just gonna lock themselves in the office like the principal did during the lockdown last week."

Frankly, Ellen thought she stood a better chance fighting a Rogue than the security guards did. "Hopefully the teachers will calm down soon," Clariss spoke. "I heard that they're talking about not letting students walk home alone anymore. They're really freaked."

Ellen huffed and jammed her hands further into her coat. Much to her dismay, it was so cold this morning she put on the puffy green coat Dad had bought for her last Christmas. "Least we got our little posse." The kids had reached the turn Ellen needed to take to get back home. "Well, here's my stop."

"You want to come over to my house and hang out later tonight?" Clarissa asked. "My parents won't mind."

Ellen would love to, but tonight was a night Gramma had the late shift, so it was a night she'd been training with Hood. "Can't. Gramma's got the late shift. She's getting stricter about me being out at night." She hated how easy it was becoming to lie to her friends.

"I hear you," Joe said. "My Mom's not lettin' me out after dark anymore either."

"Ok," Clarissa said. "See you tomorrow then."

"Bye guys," Ellen waved as she separated from the group and turned down the street. There were few people out as she walked, probably hiding from the cold. Ellen sighed and quickened her pace. She needed to get her homework done and have an early dinner before she met up with Hood. She was about twenty feet away from her building and stopped dead in her tracks. There was a familiar car parked outside the apartment, and a familiar man standing by it, looking down at his watch. She walked quickly to greet the man. "Dad?"

Her father looked up and smiled at her, though Ellen noticed it didn't reach his eyes. "Hi, Ellen." He looked at her coat and nodded in approval. "Finally wearing my coat I see."

Ellen was too surprised to see him to snark at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked. She bit her lower lip. "Did something happen?"

Her father's face became serious and he walked over to the passenger side door. "Let's go for a drive," he said, opening the car door.

Ellen hesitated, but then entered the car. Her father shut the door behind her, then walked over to the driver's side. A thousand scenarios started going through Ellen's mind. She hadn't heard anything from Gramma. Had something happened to Doc? No, Dad would be with her and just called Ellen. A sinking feeling came over her. Had he found out about Hood? Her father entered the car and started it, pulling away from the building. Ellen watched her father's body language as he drove. He was quiet, which meant whatever was going on was serious. He began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel like he did when he was thinking about something. He wasn't angry though. He seemed almost nervous. "Am I in trouble?" she asked.

Her father instantly shook his head. "No, sweetheart." Her father let out a long sigh. "It's about the Mayor."

Ellen reflexively scowled. "Is he dead?"

"No, he's not dead," her father scolded. He let out another sigh. "He's hired Lyle Bolton as his chief of security."

Ellen's world came to a standstill as she heard the name. Lyle Bolton. In a flash, she remembered him threatening Miguel, kidnapping Marisol, killing that other man, shooting at her and Batgirl, him looking at her with that cold smirk. She felt her fists clench. "That son of a bitch," she hissed. "After what he did to Miguel and Marisol? The Mayor's just gonna give him a job like he didn't do anything wrong? Like they didn't matter!?"

"Because your friends didn't matter," her father said. "Not to the Mayor. Men like Sharp and Strange don't see people like your friends, or us even as people. We're all pawns on a chessboard to them." It sounded like he spoke from experience. "Bolton's already been seen as shadowing Sharp. It's likely that he's going to tell him that you exist if the Mayor didn't already know."

"You think he's gonna come after me," Ellen said. Just like Hood had warned her that summer. Her eyes narrowed. He could try. She wasn't afraid of that fucker.

"I won't let him," her father said vehemently. "I promise you, Ellen, I will do everything in my power to make sure Bolton doesn't get within a mile of you." They stopped at a red light and he turned to give Ellen a sharp look. "You remember what I told you back in April. Stay away from anyone connected to the Mayor's office. Don't go with any adult you don't know. If you think you're being followed, call me, Penny, or Selina. And don't, under any circumstance, seek out Bolton. I know how much he hurt you, and I know how much you want to get back at him, but you need to stay away from him. Promise me, Ellen."

Ellen took a quick breath and nodded. "I’ll stay away from Bolton, Dad. I promise." Her father let out a sigh of relief and it took everything she had not to cringe. She hated how easy it was becoming to lie.


	14. A Long Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over the course of three days, the different factions in Gotham meet and plot.

_Thursday_

...15...20...25...30...Ellen hit the punching bag at full force, ignoring the stinging sensation in her knuckles.

"Ease up," she heard Hood telling her from where he was keeping eye on her. "You're going to wear yourself out."

Ellen paused to catch her breath. Her arms were sore, but she barely felt the discomfort. Her conversation with her Dad replayed in her mind and her temper rose again. She cocked her right fist back and punched the bag with all her might. The force of the impact left the bag swaying widely back and forth and Ellen's arm felt like it was on fire. She rubbed it gingerly while Hood clucked his tongue.

"I warned you," he said. "Rule one of training: never start at full force. You have to gradually work your way up or you'll hurt yourself." He jerked his head away from the bag. "Let's take a break." Ellen nodded, then walked over to the water cooler Hood had set up in his basement gym to take a drink. When she finished, she noticed he was staring directly at her through that helmet of his. "What's gotten into you tonight?"

Ellen crumpled up the paper cup and tossed it into the wastebasket next to the cooler. "Before you picked me up, I saw my Dad for a bit. He told me that Mayor Sharp hired Bolton to be his chief of security."

Hood crossed his arms. "I told you he wouldn't stay hidden forever. What else did your Dad say?"

"The usual: stay away from the Mayor and his goons, call him if I'm being followed, he'll make sure Bolton doesn't come anywhere near me, 'promise me you won't do something stupid again'..." Ellen ripped off the wrappings around her fists and threw them away with an angry grunt. "Dad couldn't protect himself from the other Rogues! How's he gonna look after me and Doc!? He's gonna get himself killed!"

"That's why I'm training you," Hood said. "I'm going to make you a better fighter than your Dad ever was." He chuckled. "Hell, you probably already are." He walked up to her and pointed at her head. "Your Dad's right about one thing though: don't go chasing after Bolton for a fight." Ellen opened her mouth to argue, but Hood cut her off. "Never mind the fact that Bolton's almost two feet taller than you and about three hundred pounds heavier. He's Mayor Sharp's chief of security. How do you think it's going to look if the Mayor's chief of security gets attacked by the Riddler's daughter? You're off to Juvie if you're lucky, and your Dad's credibility gets shot out the window."

Ellen bit her lower lip. The whole city thought her Dad was a hero now. She didn't want to mess that up for him. "What if Bolton comes after me?"

Hood leaned down so he was looking straight into her eyes. "Don't start a fight with Bolton, but if he starts one with you, you goddamn finish it." He stood back up and turned. "Come on. Let's practice at the firing range for a bit."

Ellen followed Hood across the room to the makeshift 'firing range'. He'd set up three new dummies, each with targets on their chest and faces. Ellen picked up a pair of noise-canceling headphones from a table to her left and draped them around her neck before picking up a pistol. She'd practiced shooting a dozen times now, but the gun always felt heavy in her hand. She took a breath then faced the center ballistic dummy. 

"You ready?" Hood asked.

"I'm ready," she nodded. She put the headphones over her ears and stared at the dummy that was ten feet in front of her. She stood with her feet shoulder length apart and bent her knees slightly. Then she raised her right hand, keeping it on the gun back strap, and brought up her left hand to support her grip. She focused on the dummy in front of her, particularly the target in the center of its chest. She removed the safety and coiled her fingers around the trigger. She shut her left eye, aimed the gun, and fired. The first shot sent her hand back, but unlike the first time, she didn't flinch. She looked at the dummy. The bullet had missed the center entirely, hitting the far left corner of the target sheet. Ellen frowned, then aimed again. _The Rogues._ She fired. This bullet impacted an inch to the left of the first, just that much closer to the center. Ellen aimed again. _Hugo Strange._ She fired. Two inches closer to the center. The noise from the gunfire was barely registering to her now. She aimed. _Mayor Sharp._ She fired. Two more inches. Just one more, and she'd hit the target dead-center. She shut both her eyes and thought of Lyle Bolton, his beady eyes, that cruel smirk, and of what he'd done to Miguel and Marisol. She opened her right eye, aimed, and fired, hitting the center target. Before she'd even registered where the bullet impacted, she aimed upwards and fired again. This bullet hit dead-center in the dummy's face. She squeezed the trigger again, only to realize that the gun was out of bullets. She put the safety back on and slowly lowered her hand. She put the gun back on the table, took off her headphones, and turned to face Hood. "How'd I do?"

Hood gave her a nod. "Not bad."

Ellen smiled. She was on her way to being a superhero, and soon, she'd help her Dad take down Bolton, Sharp, and Strange. _Just you wait Old Man,_ she thought. _Wait until you can see what I can do._

* * *

_Friday_

Pauli's Diner was a 24-hour hole-in-the-wall establishment located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Gotham. It was a favorite of office workers and GCPD officers alike. It was also the last place one would expect to see Bruce Wayne. 

By 2 pm, well after the lunch rush and before the dinner crowd, the restaurant was empty. Only two men shared a booth near the front doors. Bruce took a swig of his black coffee and nodded to the man sitting across from him. "How'd your interview go?"

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter as far as most of the rest of the world was concerned, smiled. "Pretty well, I think. Nigma wasn't nearly as self-aggrandizing as I thought he might be. He seems to be taking what happened last week seriously." He took a quick look to make sure their waitress wasn't close by before he leaned in close. "I didn't get the sense he was lying to me about anything, but he was definitely holding a few things back. Are those things what we're meeting about?"

Bruce was about to answer when another man entered the diner and hurried toward their table. "Vic's here," Bruce said. Clark looked over his shoulder and scoot over to make room for Vic.

"Gentlemen," Vic greeted. He gave Bruce a quick nod. "It's your meeting."

Bruce reached down and placed his briefcase on the table. He opened it and pulled out a thick manilla envelope which Vic looked at with interest. "Before we go over what's in this envelope," Bruce said in as serious a tone as he'd ever had, "I need to fill you in on everything that's happened in Gotham over the past two years."

Vic outstretched his hand and beckoned a waitress to the table. "A BLT and black coffee," he said as soon as she'd arrived. "And leave the pot." The waitress looked askance at him as she wrote down the order then rushed back into the kitchen. Vic gave Bruce another nod. "Alright. Walk us through it." 

Bruce sucked in a quick breath, and went through, step by step, every incident that had occurred since May of last year. Clark and Vic listened patiently, though Bruce picked up on how visibly uncomfortable Clark was becoming the longer he went on, and the small twitches Vic made. Bruce paused only when the waitress returned with their food and drink, and took note of how quickly Vic gulped down his coffee. After what seemed like an eternity, Bruce concluded with "...That's where things stand now. Edward and I are working together to investigate Strange. I'll be listening in on the Gotham City council meeting Monday night and we'll be trying to figure out Strange's next step from there." Vic said nothing but began drumming a finger on the table, next to his plate of untouched food. Clark shut his eyes and leaned back against the booth.

"My God," he whispered. He opened his eyes and shook his head. "This is quite a mess you've wound up in the middle of, Bruce."

"I shouldn't have quit smoking," Vic muttered. He pointed towards the manilla envelope. "Is that what you've uncovered on Strange and Sharp?"

"It's a summary of what Edward and I have both found out, yes." Bruce slid the envelope over to Vic who took it as eagerly as a child opening a Christmas present. He began rifling through the contents while Clark looked over his shoulder. 

"Got to hand it to Ed, I'm seeing a lot of circumstantial evidence against Sharp," Vic muttered. He thumbed through a few pages and looked up at Bruce with a frown. "There's not a lot here about Strange."

"It's been difficult tracking his movements during the time he was abroad," Bruce admitted. "My associates and I have a rough idea of where he was, but not of what exactly he was doing."

"Not yet," Vic said. He took the page summary of Strange and slid the rest of the folder back to Bruce. "Give me a few weeks. I'll tell you what he had for breakfast five years ago."

Bruce looked to Clark, who nodded. "Under the circumstances, I don't think anyone will object to you borrowing Vic. What else do you need from me?"

Now came the difficult part of the conversation. "Nothing."

As expected, Clark's eyes widened in surprise. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing. Clark, I don't want the League anywhere near this yet."

The expression on Clark's face turned from surprised to serious in a heartbeat. "Bruce, I know you don't like it when we come into Gotham, but-"

"It isn't that at all," Bruce interrupted. "We need to consider the optics."

"He's got a point," Vic said gruffly. "Just under a year ago, we were involved in the unseating of the President of the United States."

Clark sighed. "I didn't like that any more than you did, but Lex Luthor was a clear and present danger. We didn't have any choice."

"I know that and you know that," Vic said. "But we'd be fools to think that the current President hasn't had meetings with his cabinet, Congressional leaders, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the League's actions. And however unpopular Luthor was, we'd be fools to think that city officials all over the country haven't been taking notes." Vic took another sip of his by now lukewarm coffee and grimaced. "Then there's what the average citizen must think. The President tried to kill Superman, the Justice League threw him out of office and a bonafide Gotham Rogue is now a hero. All the old rules are being thrown out the window. We're in an awkward position gentlemen. If we bring in the League now, things could escalate beyond the point of no return."

"We can't keep out of it entirely," Clark argued. "You heard the message Waller sent. No one in the Federal government can or will step in to be a check on Sharp or Strange. There's a lot of damage they could do without any sort of oversight." He made a disgusted sound. "It's just like what happened after that earthquake five years ago. Sometimes I think Washington wouldn't mind if Gotham fell off the face of the Earth." He looked up at Bruce, concern etched on his face. "I don't want to suggest that I don't think you're capable of dealing with this on your own. I just don't like being on the sidelines when there's something I can do to help."

Clark's earnestness was what made him the hero that he was, and a better man than Bruce could ever be, but there were times it caused as much trouble as it helped. "I know, Clark, and I appreciate that. But Gotham's my city. It's my call. For the time being, I don't want the League to interfere. If there comes a point where I think they need to be called in, you'll be the first to know."

Clark visibly deflated but nodded all the same. "Alright, Bruce. It's your call. There's just one more thing I think we need to talk about. This partnership of yours with Nigma: do you think you can trust him?"

Bruce took a sip of his own coffee and considered the question. "He's genuine about his reform. He behaved himself when I brought him along to question the corrupt GCPD officers. I believe I can work with him."

"That wasn't quite what I asked," Clark said wryly. "You know him better than I ever could. I can't tell you how to handle him, but if you're going to work with him on something this important, you need to be able to trust him."

Bruce frowned but said nothing. The waitress returned with the check and a box for Vic's untouched BLT. After she left, it was Vic who broke the silence. "Let me ask the real question: does Nigma remember you know what?"

"No," Bruce said immediately. "And I'm not going to tell him. That would be an unnecessary complication." It was bad enough that Edward remembered Stephanie's identity. He wanted to believe him when he said he would do nothing with the information, but he remembered what he'd told Harvey about Gilda, and he knew the man well enough to know he wasn't bluffing.

"Coma or no coma, reformation or no reformation, heroic deeds or no heroic deeds, Edward Nigma is still, fundamentally Edward Nigma," Vic said. "He's never going to be a Robin, a Batgirl, or even a Catwoman. You need to decide if you're willing to accept that." He packed up his sandwich, pulled out a crumpled ten-dollar bill from his coat pocket, and placed it on the table in front of Bruce. "I'm going to start digging. I'll contact you when I find out something." Vic grabbed his box and got up from the table, exiting the restaurant without addressing the waitress.

Clark watched Vic leave then shook his head. "When does he find time to sleep?"

"I'm not sure he does," Bruce answered. He took one last sip of coffee and sighed. "I'm going to be taking a step back from the League for the time being. I need to give Gotham my full attention."

"I get it," Clark said gently. "Do you want me to talk to Diana and J'onn?"

"I'll do it. It'll be better if it comes from me." Bruce forced himself to smirk at his friend. "Besides, you're going to have enough to deal with when you get back to Lois."

Clark let out a laugh. "Tell me about it! She was ranting about Sharp's press conference for over half an hour last night. She's not going to be writing a flattering portrait." Clark's laugh died down, and his face became solemn. "How are you doing with all this?"

There was that damn concern again. "I'm managing," Bruce said. "I'll be alright."

Clark nodded. "You need anything, anything at all, my door's always open."

"I know. Thank you, Clark." Bruce got up from the booth, leaving a hundred-dollar bill on the table. "Tell the waitress to keep the change. I have work to do."

* * *

_Saturday_

Penelope hung up her cell phone with an irritated grunt, then crossed out the name 'Nicole Jefferson'. She took a moment to review the list of names of the now former members of the Arkham Board of Directors. Jefferson and most of the other members had refused to speak with her, Patton hadn't picked up her phone, and after what Edward had done to him there was no point in trying to contact Valenti. She pressed her fingers up to her temple, trying in vain to fight off a headache. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Joan staring down at her. "No luck?" she asked gently.

"None," Penelope said. She looked back down at her list and scowled. "I don't understand it. Strange forced them out, Sharp all but blamed the attacks on them, and they're still protecting them. What's their incentive? Fear?"

"Probably," Joan said before she joined Penelope at her dining room table. "I spoke to Leslie earlier. She said that there's talk about the survivors and victim's families launching a class action suit against Arkham. It could also be that the board members are trying to distance themselves to reduce their civil liability."

Penelope let out a groan. Arkham had been sued before, but nothing on this scale. "Arkham's funding will dry up by the end of the year. Even if Sharp and the City Council decided to keep it open, the lack of money will shut it down." Penelope tapped her pen against the table, her mind, for once, at a total loss. She looked at her friend with what she was sure was desperation. "Do you have any ideas?"

Joan pursed her lips in thought. "There is one, but it's risky. Bruce's reporter friend reached out to me and asked if I'd be willing to let her interview me about the attack on City Hall and Sharp's response."

"What did you say?"

"I agreed to do it," Joan hesitated for a moment. "I think you should consider joining me."

Penelope raised an eyebrow. "You want me to speak to a reporter?"

"If we're going to challenge Sharp's narrative about the attacks, then going to the media is the best way to do so. I know Bruce is the most photogenic one of us and Joe's done quite a bit of outreach, but you were the former head of research. You have the most credibility to attack his policies." Joan rubbed the back of her neck. "But there lies the risk. Project TITAN could come up."

"If Sharp or Strange were willing to use that to attack me, they would have done it by now," Penelope said. "It makes Sharp look just as bad." Penelope looked down at her hands and sighed. She knew this day would come, sooner or later. "If it comes down to it, I'm ready to go public about the TITAN project. I'd rather lose my professional standing than allow Strange to continue hurting the patients." She looked back at Joan, to see her friend looking at her, sadness and pride in her eyes.

"I hope it won't come to that," her friend said sincerely. "There's also the risk of Strange inciting backlash against our group."

"We can't let the fear of that stop us from doing our work," Penelope said decisively. 

"Of course not, but it's something we need to brace ourselves for. You especially, Penelope. Strange has gone out of his way to target you before." 

"I'm not afraid of Strange." As much as being under the media spotlight made her uncomfortable, Joan was right. It was the best way to put pressure on the former Board Members and Sharp alike. Her eyes narrowed. "It's high time he remembers why he should be afraid of me."

"As long as you're sure. How do you think Edward will react?"

Penelope shook her head. "He's joked about me doing a joint tell-all interview with Vicki Vale with him before. He'll probably give me tips on how to talk to reporters." Joan chuckled and Penelope smiled slightly. Speaking of Edward, she checked her phone. It was just after five pm. Edward had told her that morning that he would be out late speaking to his informants, and then he'd be going back to his apartment. Rationally, she accepted that. He had a job to see to, and she couldn't expect him to be with her every single night. The irrational part of her, the part that had been becoming more and more vocal ever since she'd met him again, had become used to him in her bed. There was a part of her that was restless until he came back to her.

"How has Edward been doing this past week?" she heard Joan ask. "Between the City Hall attack and what the Rogues did, I haven't had a chance to talk with him."

"About as well as one can expect," Penelope answered. "He's been keeping himself busy with his clients, his informants, and with Ellen." Penelope wet her lip. "He's also finally agreed to work with Batman."

Joan's jaw dropped in surprise. Then she shut her eyes in relief. "Thank God," she whispered. "If he and Batman have reconciled, then it's become that much easier to work against Strange."

Penelope wanted to agree with her, but from what she'd observed, Edward wasn't anywhere close to reconciling with Batman yet. She suspected that he'd agreed to work with the vigilante only because he felt his back against the wall. If Edward's reaction to her wanting to join the two of them at their next meeting was any indication, he still deeply distrusted Batman. "They'll be meeting Monday night after the City Council's special session. I'm going to join them and see what steps Batman wants to take. I can also remind Edward to call you."

"You don't have to do that," Joan said wryly. "But the two of us should meet with the others Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on what happens with Commissioner Gordon."

Penelope nodded. "Of course." There was that pit in her stomach again. In two days, Gordon could be forced to resign. Arkham could be shut down. Then what? What was Strange's next step after that? What was his plan for the patients at Arkham Asylum? Where did Ward and Blackgate fit in? Would he come after Edward again? No, she thought, a chill going down her spine. The question wasn't _if_ he would come after her Edward again. The question was _when_.

* * *

_Sunday_

Sharp sat in the plush leather chair, staring down at his lap. He didn't need to look up to know that Professor Strange was angry with him. He could feel the man's penetrating gaze on him, even if he couldn't see it. "Do you know why I am here, Quincy?" he heard the Professor's deep voice ask.

"Yes," he answered meekly, not looking up from his lap. "This is about the press conference-"

"Quite," Professor Strange answered. Sharp looked up, only to immediately look down again. Professor Strange's eyes were like firey black coals behind his glasses. "I called that press conference so that you could expose the treachery of the Arkham board, not so that you could throw a tantrum in front of Gotham's press corp!" Strange threw a copy of the Gotham Gazette's Sunday addition down onto Sharp's coffee table. Sharp looked at the front page and cringed. The picture the paper used was of him, snapping at that son of a bitch Sage.

"He provoked me," Sharp defended. "Him and the Lane woman!"

"We prepared for difficult questions. You should not have let Lane get under your skin. As for Sage, he is a known paranoiac. You should have ignored him."

Sharp flushed at the scolding. "I want them both barred from any future press conferences," he seethed. "I will not let them embarrass me again!"

"We cannot bar Ms. Lane, tempting as it is. I will, however, make sure that Mr. Sage is not allowed at our future events." Sharp saw a plain white bottle being placed in front of him. "I've taken the liberty of raising the dosage of your medication, Quincy. We cannot afford for you to lose your temper in public again."

Sharp stifled a groan and picked up the bottle. The pills he took now already made him feel lethargic, outside of his own body almost. "Of course, Hugo. I'm sorry." He turned the bottle in his hands. Something had been gnawing at him since his meeting with Gordon, something he was afraid to even think of.

"What is troubling you, Quincy?" Sharp looked up at Strange to see him looking down at him with hooded eyes.

Sharp hesitated, then looked back down at his lap. "It's nothing, Hugo-" he was cut off by Professor Strange's heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Clearly, it is something," the Professor said. "We have an important meeting with the City Council tomorrow night. Whatever it is, tell me now."

Sharp gulped, then nodded. "When I called Gordon to my office after that fiasco with Nigma and the Rogues, he told me that Schrader was the person who had stolen the TITAN drug last summer. That he had targeted Penelope before what happened at City Hall." Sharp looked back up at Professor Strange, who had a blank expression on his face. "I know that Schrader was working for us...did...did you order him to do it?"

Professor Strange said nothing, and Sharp felt his heart begin to race. He didn't...he couldn't have...the Professor couldn't have betrayed him...finally, the man sighed. "Quincy," he said in a gentle tone. "I am disappointed in you. After everything that I have done on your behalf, do you not trust me?"

"I do," Sharp pleaded. "I do, Hugo, but Schrader-"

"Schrader was only working for us as far as the incident at City Hall. I never ordered him to steal the TITAN, nor did I order him to attack Dr. Young. I have no idea why he became fixated on her. She seems to have an unfortunate tendency to attract the mentally unstable."

Sharp thought of Nigma again and scowled. "Yes," he said. "That poor girl." God only knew what designs Nigma had on her. 

The Professor began to gently, but firmly, run Sharp's shoulder. "Schrader received his just reward. Gordon clearly was using him as a way to drive a wedge between us. That will not save GCPD from what's coming tomorrow." He smiled then, and Sharp felt his heart lift in relief. Of course, Hugo had not betrayed him. He was, as always, looking out for his best interests. "Do not concern yourself with either of them, Quincy," he soothed, his voice as comforting as a lullaby. "Take your medication tonight and rest. I will come to City Hall tomorrow morning to go over what you are going to say at the meeting."

"Yes, Hugo," Sharp said, getting out of his chair. "I will take my medication and rest tonight." He took the bottle with him and ascended the stairs, not looking behind him to see the smirk on Strange's face.


End file.
